N7 Special Operations
by MeganAlice
Summary: A different outlook on the Mass Effect world. A story based on the Multi-player format of the 'N7 Special Operations' teams and what their lives must be like. Kind of a story based on you guys!
1. Chapter 1

1.

A young brunette stood alone looking out into the open air of the Citadel, she was a short but not petite girl she had curves in all the right places but you could tell she well looked after her body. She brushed one arm up the other and pulled back her beautifully long brown hair so that it all hung to one side, her soft tanned skin giving the impression of a Latin or South American background. There was a movement behind her amongst the rush and business of the Citadel this one movement seemed to have caught her ear, she looked over with dazzling emerald green eyes and watched as a man moved away from a counter near the embassies. Without so much as a second glance back out the window at the beautiful view of the Citadel the young woman walked away from it heading towards the counter her eyes set on the man behind the counter working hard to get all the plans of war set up and everyone, and their families, where they needed to be before the attack. The woman rushed straight up to the desk and placed her hands down on to it making the clerk notice her.

"One moment please." He said raising a single finger in recognition before slinking his hand back down to focus on the data pad he was working on. The woman didn't look agitated by the delay in fact she just glanced around at the other clerks with a slight bit of worry etched on to her face. When the male clerk she was waiting to talk to finally looked up though her eyes quickly darted back to his and before he had the chance to say anything she spoke.

"Isabelle Trufello born in Spain brought up in England on Earth, my father was British my mother Spanish I consider my nationality to be British. My date of birth is the 3rd-" Isabelle's British voice was cut short by the clerk's finger rising once again.

"Sorry, Isabelle is it?" He asked Isabelle eagerly nodded. "What is it exactly you would like me to do with all of your information?"

"I'd like to join the team on the Normandy sir." She said defiantly the man stared at her for a few moments with a quizzical look on his face.

"The Normandy was destroyed by the Collectors nearly three years ago-"

"Then rebuilt by Cerberus and now in the hands of the Alliance brass after Shepard's incarceration, she gave herself in after destroying that Mass Relay didn't she?." Isabelle cut him off this time, but her knowledge gained her a suspicious look from the clerk.

"Very few people know about all that Isabelle… How did you find out?" He questioned suspiciously.

"I am a _very_ big fan." She explained there was a moment of pause as though the clerk was determining whether she was just a fan or some kind of terrorist.

"Even so Isabelle, what exactly makes you think that the Alliance is going to be using the Cerberus made ship for their own? Or even that you have the skills to do what it takes to join the Normandy team? It is, after all, a very select group of men and women who are normally _asked_ to join the team, the best of the best, do you believe you _really_ have what it takes?" He patronisingly questioned, there was another pause now from Isabelle she looked as though she was biting her tongue trying to force herself not to say what she wanted to and she managed, just:

"Yes I do." Is all she could say, the man eyeballed her before turning his attention to a data pad in front of him.

"Well Isabelle I admire your confidence however nobody can just 'sign up' to the Normandy otherwise everyone would be doing it, you're asked to join and that's that. I can however see if I can get you on to another Alliance vessel if I can just find your details…" He said distractedly as he messed around on the data pad, Isabelle suddenly seemed very fractious as she worriedly glanced from the pad to the clerk.

"Don't worry about that I can give you all my details!" She said in a panicked voice. "Isabelle Trufello, born in Spain, from Earth, brought up in England." She rushed her words making the clerk look up at her suspiciously.

"What did you say your name was? Isabelle … Trufello?" the clerk glanced down at the data pad and sighed placing it down in front of him he raised his hand to the bridge of his nose and glanced at one of the clerks next to him who had now taken notice of the predicament the other clerk rolled her eyes and shrugged towards him. He slowly raised his eyes to look back at the now slightly frowning face of Isabelle.

"Look Miss. Trufello, we both know you cannot sign up. You've heard it all before, _many_ times" His emphasis cut off Isabelle from speaking further "I should have realised who you were before speaking to you I am sorry for giving you any false hope…"

"Please just hear me out sir-"

"Given the amount of times you've been in these halls discussing this same exact situation with a numerous amount of my other colleagues I am surprised to see you here Miss. Trufello. You must realise by now it is a lost cause, _you're_ a lost cause…" That was it that's all she needed Isabelle did know coming here was a gamble she'd never be able to join the Alliance she just had to adjust to that idea but that clerk saying those words to her made her blood boil it took all restraint she had to stop herself lunging over the counter and breaking his neck.

"Ex-Excuse me?" She hissed at the clerk, who since had busied himself with something else and was looking down at the desk in front of him when Isabelle spoke again he looked back up at her almost shocked that she was still there.

"Did, did you just call me a _'lost cause'_?" Her voice was low and growing more aggressive as the seconds ticked by and the clerk seemed to see this now.

"I didn't mean it as it-"

"Oh no… I think you meant it _exactly_ as it sounded you miserable little arsehole I outta pull your scrawny little arse out of that chair and give you a show of just how good a _cause_ I can be!" She growled leaning over the counter slightly, the clerk quickly stood out of his chair now stumbling backwards so the chair fell with a loud bang and all attention, including that of the C-Sec guards, was suddenly on the red faced angry Isabelle.

"You're lucky you've got this counter between us you-" Isabelle was furious she suddenly felt that all too familiar flare as her biotic's exploded inside her chest, she glowed a dull blue as she swiped her hand out and a potted plant raised off the desk flew towards the clerk smashing into the wall beside him, just as the C-Sec guards stepped forwards to intervene somebody stopped them.

"I'll handle this." The man spoke in a quiet voice and yet still managed to assure the guards, which is a hard task given that they're normally used to being screamed at, as he approached the screaming Latina.

"Of course Admiral." The guards spoke saluting him, confirming his high level of authority.

"Isabelle Trufello, please." Just his voice cut into Isabelle like a warm knife into butter she silenced immediately glaring over to the man, her head having to lift to meet his face even though he only stood at five foot ten inches.

"Let's talk… Please." He slid a reassuring arm around her shoulder and herded her away from the crowd that had now gathered around them. The pair walked into a practically empty hallway save a pair of lovers who had taken to this corridor to have a quiet moment's goodbye together.

"Isabelle… You must understand you cannot keep doing this…" The man spoke gently to her as if to a child it didn't help that he'd placed her between himself and the wall giving her an even more adolescent feel.

"I am not a child anymore father, I know what's what." Isabelle snapped at the aging face of the man in front of her, he was easily into his forty's but had only the slightest hints of grey in his hair unfortunately it was the lines in his face that gave him away, those probably had something to do with the stress that came with being the father of somebody like Isabelle.

"Well then tell me this Isabelle if you know, why do you insist on torturing yourself like this?" He questioned, Isabelle's eyes dropped from his now as she looked to the floor at her feet.

"A gamble I guess…" A noise from the couple down the other end caught her ear and her eyes followed now looking at them. A Turian and an Asari were stood forehead to forehead his talon was gently placed against her cheek as they stared longingly into each other's eyes Isabelle felt a twinge on her heart strings as she looked at the couple who were no doubt on the verge of being torn apart by war. "A little bit of hope." She whispered more to herself then her father stood in front of her but it answered his question nonetheless and with the answer his face softened.

"Isabelle, I'm sorry, I know it isn't your fault but your… condition, you cannot fight Izzy. The doctors have tried to help you but there is no cure to fear my darling." He explained for what must have been the hundredth time Isabelle glared at the ground hard as though she blamed it for her short comings but really she was just holding back any upset she was feeling, the last thing she wanted to do was cry, she couldn't handle the look her father would give her if she did. "Izzy this behaviour is not healthy for you, and it certainly isn't helping my job, you realise that last time I was with the board Udina actually brought you up? He said that if I couldn't even control my own 21 year old daughter how was I supposed to control a fleet… This isn't fair to _either_ of us Isabelle." She moved her glare now from the floor to her father, was that all it was about? The job? She huffed out a breath she had been unintentionally holding and moved her hand up to her forehead saluting her father.

"Well thank you so much for thinking about _me_ Admiral Trufello." She grumbled out sarcastically before excusing herself and moving to slip away from him but before she could get much further than two steps he let out a defeated sigh and grabbed her wrist.

"Izzy! Don't be mad at me about this it's hard for me too you know?" He stated Isabelle glared at him again but before she could speak someone interrupted them.

"Admiral Trufello I must- Oh, hello Isabelle, I'm sorry for the intrusion…" Major Daniels, Isabelle's fathers right hand man, he was practically with her father day and night. He was a handsome man, must have been a good ten years older than Isabelle though, in her father's perfect world Isabelle and he would probably be married by now, but this wasn't her father's perfect world and Isabelle needed her own life.

"It's no problem Major, I was just leaving." Isabelle said snatching her arm out of her father's grasp and walking away.

"Isabelle, bloody hell, we will be talking about this when I get home missy!" Her father yelled to her back.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

Isabelle threw her suitcase on to the bed and started throwing as many of her items as she could find into it.

"This is it this time Patches, I'm leaving…" She spoke to the FENRIS mech that gently, but not quietly, wandered into the room. "I know what you're thinking, 'where will I go? What will I do?' well…" She glanced down at the attack dog mech that now lay by her feet. Her father had got it after the incident, he'd hoped it would be some form of protection for the two of them and although it'd never had to be used, as of yet, the most Isabelle had seen it hurt was itself when it fell down the stairs one night and she had to repair it manually which is why one shoulder on it is now black metal instead of white, hence; Patches.

"Well I guess I haven't thought that through yet, but I'm sure I'll figure something out, once I've left. I just need to get out of this place Patches, he's coddling me, I can't handle it, he thinks I'm going to turn out like my mum but I'm not…" She stared at the robot once more holding three t-shirts in one hand and her model Normandy signed by Commander Shepard in the other, her father had brought it for her and had even got Shepard to sign it, Isabelle sighed placing the t-shirts down and staring at the model ship in her hand.

"I just, I thought this was it for me, when I discovered Commander Shepard, first human Spectre, hero of the Citadel, destroyer of Reapers… I know that nobody believes they exist but if Shepard does then I do too! … She was my inspiration, the reason I wanted to sign up in the first place, I mean a strong independent human who rises to the ranks of Spectre? Not just a human but a _woman_ too, I would give anything to live a day in her shoes." Isabelle sighed and fell back on to her bed lying down.

"It was all going so well too, I'd signed up straight after my 18th birthday, Mum and Dad were so proud, Dad especially, seeing his little girl in her dress blues? Hah, his face was a picture" Isabelle grinned at her memories but her face then faltered as her smile fell and she now stared at her model ship in sadness. "Then it all went wrong…" She whispered to herself before lying in silence for a few moments.

"This is stupid." She growled sitting up and looking at the mech once more. "You can't even understand me…" She mumbled at it and with a metallic whine Patches stood up and left the room, Isabelle sighed putting her model on the desk beside her bed.

"I need to take my mind off of this, to get out of here… Maybe get some alcohol." She growled grabbing a coat as she stood up and left the apartment hailing a cab for the Presidium Commons. So that's why she was sat at a table in the presidium commons when she caught some unexpected attention.

A thick New York accent often put off the aliens, all except some Asari who seem to find the drawl unbelievably attractive and often would flirt with the New Yorkian brown haired male while he was on the Citadel which is why he didn't make the trip very often. However he'd needed to see the doctor for an updated medical check, as is requested for every time you change ship, and the one on his old ship didn't like him after what happened and refused to see him. A trip to the doctors always makes the brown haired solider a little on edge, he's a shy fellow who isn't fond of people probing him so a doctor's surgery isn't exactly his ideal place to be. Which is why, after a swift trip into Huerta Memorial, the toned man jumped into the lift and made the quick trip down to the bar Purgatory, so he could wash away his fresh memories of probing with the sweet taste of alcohol.

Unfortunately bars were never the New York guy's strong suit either, you see when people go to bars they're often looking to meet somebody attractive, sometimes single (but not always) and rich enough to feed them drink all night and then take them home at the end of the evening to fuck their brains out. A quick fling with an Asari was not what this guy was looking for but that's what it was looking like when a less then sober Asari bounded up to him rather rudely pushing into the people behind her who threw a glare over their shoulders.

"Hey!" She yelled quite a bit louder than was necessary over the music; he just eyed her from the side before taking a sip of his drink and replying.

"Hello." He softly spoke barely audible over the music, in fact he was surprised she even heard him, he even wondered if maybe she didn't hear him and just continued anyway.

"I know you; I've seen you on board the 'Provenance'… It's Wilson right?" Her mentioning his old ship caused his back to straighten and his eyes to look at her face, he didn't recognise her though. He shuffled his weight from one foot to the other before answering.

"Yeah, Wilson." Is all that he replied before taking another sip of his drink, for a moment he thought maybe he was coming across as arrogant, hell that was probably why so many women chatted him up. That wasn't the case though, Wilson has had his share of women, he just never found a woman who he could get along with.

"My name is Hanna…" She stated with no real reason then waited for some reaction from him when she didn't get one though she just continued. "I haven't seen you in a few months. I heard rumours that you left a bit… Suspiciously?" She questioned, this time Wilson threw her a slight glare.

"I did leave." Is all he said as he downed the rest of his drink and turned to order another.

"Why?" She pushed he rolled his eyes looking impatiently at the bar tender as he poured his drink. As soon as he placed the drink in front of Wilson he picked it up and walked away.

"Pleasure meeting you Hanna." He grumbled walking past her.

"Same to you, you sexy little thing!" She giggled and waved to his back, he blushed deeply before exiting the building. He went straight for the lift still with his drink in hand and chose to go to the Presidium Commons instead hoping to get some peace, he walked straight through the banks and into the open air views of the Citadel he took in a deep breath and made a bee-line for the restaurant that overlooked the view. Wilson took up a stool and sunk his head so low his nose was almost in his drink, he breathed in the smell of his alcohol and let the odour sink in.

"You look like you've got some troubles my friend." A deep grizzly voice spoke out Wilson's eyes lifted up and landed on the Asari bar tender, he sighed slowly nodding.

"Hasn't everyone?" He questioned the bar tender let out a slight chuckle of recognition.

"Everyone but her it'd seem." The woman spoke her eyes on someone else; Wilson followed her eye line landing on a beautiful tanned brunette who was sat alone at a table a faint smile on her face as she just watched the world go by. The second Wilson's eyes landed on her he couldn't bring himself to remove them again, he was entranced, and she was beautiful.

"What's she doing?" He asked the Asari.

"I'm not really sure; she's been here most of the afternoon just watching the world." She explained.

"Have you spoken to her?" He asked his eyes still not moving from the brunette.

"Only to take her drinks order… Some human wine if you're that damn curious." The Asari had clearly lost interest in the subject, unlike Wilson who suddenly felt himself drawn to the woman. He stood and moved closer to her but didn't approach as he moved though her beautiful eyes moved along and landed upon him for a few seconds their eyes locked and it hit him, like a punch to the stomach, butterflies had arisen and were now restless inside of his gut. Just as the faint smile grew on her lips as she still looked at him Wilson moved his eyes from her a deep crimson blush rose on his cheeks but in the corner of his eye he saw this made the girl grin even more. He quickly moved from his path towards her and sat back at the bar, but now was closer to her table. He fidgeted in his seat as he still felt her eyes on his back, the blush that had risen up his face now refused to leave as he pictured her beautiful eyes looking at him. The pair went to and fro for a while, every so often Wilson would feel the needing tug to look at her again so he would, as subtlety as possible, look around to her only to end up staring until she noticed him and he would straight away blush and recoil back to his drink. When suddenly he heard a noise behind him and he felt someone brush against his back before pulling a seat up next to him, she broke the silence between them.

"People watching." A British voice came from beside him; he lifted his eyes to find those beautiful green diamonds looking back at him.

"S-Sorry?" He was confused and her sweet grin wasn't helping the blush on his cheeks.

"That's what I was doing." She explained further but that still didn't help Wilson, he still didn't know what 'people watching' was and this confusion clearly showed as the woman let out a sweet laugh before speaking again. "You watch people, get their story, an idea of who they are by how they hold themselves, what they say, their accent, the way they treat others in their life etc… Then you make up who they are, what they've done in life and sometimes what they could achieve in life. It's really quite fun, I even watched you for a while." That grin again and the crimson flushed.

"Eh, you, you _watched_ me?" He stuttered once more that gentle laughter came from her mouth.

"Yes, I hope you don't take this the wrong way but… I thought you were homosexual." This time it was his turn to laugh.

"Wh-What! Ha-ha!" She smiled at his reaction.

"Yup, had a whole story about you and your partner, you'd had an argument and that's why you were so upset." She smiled Wilson's grin faltered a little now though at the reminder of his earlier mood, he tried to change the subject allowing a cough to leave his lips.

"What else did you make up for me?" He asked she glanced sideways, from the spot on the bar that she had been staring at, to his eyes before speaking.

"Well, then you started to walk over to me and I realised that," Those green gems dropped back down to the bar once more as she seemed to search for her next words in the hard plastic of the bar. "Well if you'd been gay I would be sincerely…" A sudden dart back up and that gut wrenching rush flew through Wilson again as her beautiful eyes stared deep into his with a slight look of vulnerably spread over them. "Disappointed." He let a slightly childish grin spread across his lips as he let the moment of pure glee settle in his chest before he spoke again.

"Well I can happily say that I'm not disappointing you tonight," he smiled and she returned the smile before holding her tanned hand out to him.

"Well that is good to hear… I'm Isabelle Trufello." Wilson looked from her eyes down to her hand before taking it, the feel of her soft skin against his gaining him another pull on his stomach.

"Stuart Wilson, pleasure to meet you."


	3. Chapter 3

3.

A few hours of 'people watching' later and Isabelle and Stuart had come up with some brilliant stories for various people around the commons.

"Okay, what about this guy?" Isabelle said her eyes looking at a Turian who was sat at a table alone and had been there for a good few hours. "What do you think? Stood up or just one of those sad kind of people who eat dinner alone?" She asked Stuart who laughed.

"Weren't _you_ eating dinner alone until a few hours ago?" He grinned, Isabelle playfully hit his arm.

"As a matter of fact, I _was not_ eating!" She grinned and Stuart laughed.

"Ah yes, because food makes all the difference." He agreed sarcastically, she just poked her tongue out at him before she glanced back over to the Turian, suddenly she felt, and heard, a low grumble come from her stomach.

"Oh…" A blush rushed to her cheeks. "All this talk of food has made me realise just how hungry I actually am!" She laughed Stuart smiled at her.

"You know, I'm pretty hungry too, shall we order something?" He said picking up a menu Isabelle glanced at him suspiciously for a few seconds before nodding and picking up a menu herself.

"Sure." She smiled.

Once they'd both ordered Isabelle took in a deep breath and allowed it to happily leave her mouth sitting back in her chair.

"So where are you from then Stuart?" She asked thinking back to the fresh air of earth.

"I was born on Earth, in America, New York? Do you know it? I lived there until I was 18 then I signed up to the Alliance and since then I've been dotting from ship to ship. What about you Isabelle?" He explained she smiled at him.

"Of course I know New York! So you know what it feels like to take a nice deep breathe of Earth's atmosphere then? Nothing quite like it is there?" She smiled looking out over the view. "I was born on Earth too, from England though, London to be exact."

"Ah, well yeah although most of New York is 'new age' now and they've got those air convertors, you know the ones that help the o-zone and all that… Though every now and then I used to make a trip out to the outskirts just to get some nice, non-filtered air."

"Yeah London's like that too now, I often go back just to get some a little sense of where I'm at sometimes I guess." Isabelle smiled looking down to the plate of food that had just arrived in front of her.

"So you didn't mention what you're up to now? Where do you work? Are you in the Alliance?" Stuart questioned as the pair of them ate their food.

"Uh, that's a long story… I signed up but something went wrong and now my father won't allow me to sign up to any ships or to do any fighting, so I'm trained to be Alliance but uh, I work in an office here on the Citadel… What about you? What ship are you on at the moment?" Stuart eyed Isabelle for a few moments as he seemed to be summing her up.

"Hah, mine's a long story too." He said his thoughts seeming to come to a quick end. "I served on the Provenance but something… happened and now I… Well I can't really say, bit of a military secret I guess." He glanced up at her a bit glumly. "Sorry." He mumbled Isabelle just let out a chuckle as she finished her food.

"No need to apologise, you're like a modern day James Bond" she laughed, "sorry I love old vids." She grinned he laughed along with her.

"Oh no need to be sorry, I love 'em too, in fact James Bond is one of my favourites." The laughter they were sharing between them was softened by the Salarian waiter coming over and placing the bill on the table.

"Oh I'll get this…" Stuart said reaching out for it.

"I don't mind paying if you'd like me-" Isabelle started.

"Don't be silly Isabelle, I honestly do not mind." Stuart cut her off.

"Oh well at least let me pay my half…" She said her hand moving to rummage through her bag but Stuart caught it and placed it back on the table making her eyes move up to meet his.

"It's my pleasure to buy you dinner Isabelle Trufello." He smiled she grinned back at him giving a soft nod before moving back into a comfortable place in her chair, he took his hand from hers once more and she felt a sudden coldness that she didn't before she'd felt his touch. She moved her arms up to lean her elbows against the table placing her chin in her hands.

"So… does that mean this was a date?" She smiled at him as he paid the credits over; he looked from the bill over to her and smiled.

"I'd like to think so… Yeah." Isabelle didn't think her smile could get any bigger until he moved in a little closer to her leaning in to kiss her. Just as Isabelle's eyes closed and she moved closer to him Stuart's hand slipped on his napkin and he fell forwards knocking one of Isabelle's arms out from under her causing her to slip and fall off of her chair as her forehead smacked against the table she roughly fell sideways off of her chair and on to the floor.

"Isabelle!" Stuart yelled out blushing deeply as people started to stare over at them. He lifted her torso up and held her in his arms as he sat beside her, Isabelle was slightly dazed by the bash but didn't seem too hurt.

"Owch." She laughed out looking up at him.

"I'm so sorry," Stuart said before looking up at the Salarian waiter. "Could we have some ice over here please?" The waiter nodded before rushing over with a bag of ice.

"It's fine," Isabelle mumbled as Stuart held the ice up to her head. "I'm fine, thank you." She said moving to sit up and, with some help from Stuart, stand up.

"Well this has definitely never happened to me on a first date before…" Isabelle laughed as she stood up and thanked the Salarian waiter, who had also helped stand her up.

"I'm so so sorry." Stuart repeated Isabelle just laughed.

"It's okay, I liked it…" She smiled at him and he returned the look. "Well, maybe not the whole head-butting a table bit but the rest was great!" She laughed he let out a laugh too but his was slightly less convincing.

"Let me get the taxi with you, honestly it's the least I could do…"

"Oh no you don't need to do that." She shook her head moving to hold the ice against it herself now instead of Stuart holding it there.

"You really think I'm going to let you go home alone? What if you have a concussion and pass out in the cab?" Isabelle eyed him for a moment before nodding.

"Okay then." She smiled as he put his arm around her walking over to hail a cab.

"There… Happy? No concussion, no passing out in the cab, I'm fine." She smiled at him as they climbed out the cab and stood in front of Isabelle's house.

"This is where you live? It's nice." Stuart looked around the house.

"Thanks… I'd invite you in but my FENRIS mech isn't fond of strangers." She grinned at him, he laughed and shook his head.

"Oh I couldn't I should get back…" His voice faded away as he pointed back behind him.

"Ah yes, back to your 007 life." She winked at him still holding the ice to her head, Stuart laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, although I must have missed the one where James Bond nearly knocked out his date." He laughed, Isabelle laughed too as he moved in and took the ice away from Isabelle's head. He placed his hand on there and gently rubbed his thumb over the area.

"Well, at least there doesn't seem to be a bump." He smiled at her she smiled back her green eyes moving up his face to look into his deep blue ones and there was that pang again, Stuart needed this woman in his life his hand slipped down her face and rested on her cheek as she moved closer to him their bodies now inches from each other. Stuart's eyes moved to look at her plump rose lips as she tiptoed to move her face to meet his and finally as if it had been meaning to happen since the pair first set eyes on each other they kissed. A gentle beautiful kiss that was swiftly deepened by Isabelle brushing her tongue against his lips he moved his hands to the back of her head as the pair interlocked. They pulled away from each other but only by inches as they still stood with their bodies touching just staring into each other's eyes.

"Damn those James Bond duties…" He whispered with his eyes slowly closing once more as he wished he could stay with her, Isabelle laughed before moving in to kiss him briefly on the lips once more then moved away.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Stuart Wilson…" She grinned stepping away from him.

"And you Isabelle Trufello. Oh and…" He lifted his arm and with a bright orange glow his omni-tool started up, Isabelle's also flashed as she lifted it up to find he was hailing her.

"Contact me when you wake up tomorrow… I want to know you haven't got a concussion." He smiled, Isabelle laughed.

"I promise." She said before waving goodbye as she walked into her house.

"Where have you been?" Isabelle's father was still up when she came in.

"Out." She growled her high from being with Stuart suddenly in a free fall.

"Where? Who was that you were with? We need to talk Isabelle, or did you forget about the scene you made in the embassies today?" He growled Isabelle just ignored him and went to walk past him and up the stairs.

"Isabelle, do not ignore me! You were out- What on earth happened to your head Izzy?" Her father reached out and caught her wrist pulling her over to him so he could look at the large red mark that had now produced on her head.

"I tripped and hit my head it was an accident! Isn't there a fleet you should be running somewhere?" Isabelle growled pulling herself away from him.

"Yes as a matter of fact there is but instead of rallying that fleet in preparations for the war, which by the way _you_ aren't supposed to know anything about so I'd appreciate you not warning every man woman and child about it! I have had to leave that duty to the Major while I sort out my rebellious child!" He growled Isabelle just rolled her eyes.

"Isabelle you _mustn't_ keep using my name to get yourself into the embassies, if you're not careful people are going to start thinking you're a terror threat and then you won't be able to go anywhere because you'll be locked up!" Her father growled. "And you wouldn't want that would you?"

"no…" Isabelle mumbled quietly.

"Would you?"

"No!" She spat out at him.

"Well then will you _please_ promise me you will stop chasing this foolish dream Izzy?" He growled Isabelle threw him a glare but more because she knew he was right.

"Yeah whatever, maybe…" She grumbled out he sighed brushing his hand through his hair.

"You always were as stubborn as you're mother Isabelle and just know that her damn stubbornness is what got her killed." He spoke venom Isabelle glared at him with such a force she was sure he felt it.

"Yeah well I'm not her Dad! I'm not going to turn out like her; I'm not her so stop bloody treating me like I am!" Isabelle yelled at him just as he went to speak again there was a knock at the door. As he went to answer it Isabelle went to leave but he grabbed her wrist once more.

"You stay right here missy…" He growled opening the door to reveal Major Daniels.

"Admiral, I'm sorry to bother you at home but…" His eyes moved from the Admiral to his hand that was still wrapped firmly around Isabelle's wrist then to the scowling face of Isabelle herself who glared at him when his eyes landed on her. She was surprised to see a look of worry on his face as he looked at her then his expression changed again as he looked back to Isabelle's father.

"It's fine Major what is it?"

"There seems to be some problems with the Turians and one of our ships, MSV Johannesburg, on Luna base, the brass has asked if you would mind going up there to see what's going on?" He explained, Isabelle's father sighed as he turned on Isabelle.

"We will continue this another day Isabelle." He growled as she snatched her hand away from him.

"There is a ship leaving from Bay D-21 in twenty minutes sir." Major Daniels continued.

"Major I'm sorry to ask you this but would you mind staying with my daughter tonight? As you can probably see she's had a bit of a fall and hit her head, I don't want her staying alone just in case-"

"I'm fine father." Isabelle cut him off.

"Be quiet Isabelle!" He growled back at her, Major Daniels just looked between the two with worry etched back in his face.

"Of course not Admiral." He nodded before saluting Isabelle's father.

"I'll see you both in a couple of days." He moved over to kiss Isabelle on the head she winced slightly as he brushed the bruise on her head before he left.

"So Major Daniels… What's your first name? I feel stupid calling you by your rank when I'm not even in the bloody Alliance anymore." She growled.

"It's- uh- Andrew, Andrew Daniels." He stuttered out.

"Right, well Andy, you don't mind me calling you Andy do ya? Look just, don't get any ideas, I'm going to bed now and Patches," The robotic dog walked up beside Isabelle with an electronic groan. "Will be sat outside my bedroom door all night, he sees you so much as a foot too close to it and he _will_ attack."

"Y-Yes ma'am, I mean no ma'am, I w- I won't come anywhere near your bedroom Miss. Trufello." Isabelle eyed him suspiciously before nodding.

"Good, now good night Andrew."

"Goodnight Miss. Trufello."


	4. Chapter 4

4.

Isabelle woke up the next morning to the smell of bacon; she frowned as she sat up in bed and took a deep whiff in to make sure she smelt right, her stomach rumbling confirmed her suspicions. She threw her feet over the side of the bed and still with a frown on her face she headed for the door in her pyjamas. Once she got to the bottom of the stairs she slowly walked into the kitchen to find Major Daniels stood over the oven cooking a rather large breakfast.

"You really know how to make yourself at home don't you Daniels?" Isabelle laughed out to the Major who jumped when he heard her voice clearly he hadn't realised she was there. She walked over to the fridge and got herself an orange juice.

"Oh no, Miss. Trufello this is for you!" He explained as she sat down at the small table in the middle of the kitchen, this just made her frown more though as he placed a plate full of food in front of her.

"You trying to butter me up Andrew?" Isabelle cocked her brow at him as he sat himself down beside her with his own plate of food, he let out a laugh, it must have been the first time she'd ever seen him smile let alone laugh.

"No Miss. Trufello, I just think you deserve to be treated nicely, for a change." He said his eyes now looking at her head and she remembered how she had bashed it the night before.

"Oh goodness, do I have a massive bruise?" She asked raising her hand to her head and trying to look in the reflection of her knife.

"No it doesn't look too bad actually Miss. Trufello." Andrew said Isabelle gave out a relieved sigh and smiled at him.

"Well thank you for my breakfast Andrew, and please, call me Isabelle." She smiled

"You're quite welcome… Isabelle." They sat in silence as they ate for a few minutes as Isabelle remembered how she'd promised to call Stuart, she would just do it after breakfast then Andrew broke her train of thought with words she didn't expect to her from him.

"I was actually rather hoping you might accompany me somewhere today Isabelle?" The words nearly caused Isabelle to spit out her food.

"Uh, w-well, look Andrew thanks for the food and all that but I think you might have the wrong idea-"

"Do not worry Miss. Trufello I'm not asking you on any kind of date here. Trust me well, I can't discuss it here but when you realise what it is I'm asking you to do you will not be worried." He explained, Isabelle frowned at his cryptic words but before she had a chance to respond her onmi-tool lit up and started buzzing in urgency.

"I uh, I should take this… but uh I'll be back-"

"Please do come back Isabelle as we're leaving in ten minutes." He stated Isabelle felt herself leaving the room in a slight daze as her onmi-tool still flashed against her arm. She moved her arm up and gently touched the tool so its display opened up and the face of Stuart Wilson came into view.

"Well good morning beautiful." He smiled to her she half-heartedly smiled back

"Good morning." She said her mind still on Andrew Daniels and his strange news.

"I was worried for a minute there that you might still be in bed… You okay?" Stuart's curious tone brought Isabelle back to reality.

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay, you?" She got into her bedroom and sat down on her bed, she looked at his surroundings and realised from the metallic hallways that he was on a star ship.

"Yeah I'm great, had this fantastic date with this fantastic girl last night so I'm on top of the world… So to speak." Isabelle giggled flirtatiously at his compliment.

"You forgot the part where you nearly knocked her out…" She winked he laughed back to her.

"Ah yes, you're never going to let me live that down are you?" She shook her head. "Well I see you didn't have a concussion then? You're okay? Although that's a bit of a nasty bruise." He said Isabelle gently touched her head remembering the bruise again, she got up and looked in her mirror she did have quite a large purple mark on her forehead.

"Yeah, oh well it makes me look tough." She laughed and got a laugh in return from Stuart. "How's the James Bond job going?" She asked, Stuart looked around his surroundings and nodded.

"Yeah it's going pretty well, I need to get back to it soon I just thought I'd check you were okay." He explained.

"Isabelle! You have five minutes!" Isabelle looked back towards her door and the voice of Andrew Daniels, and then looked back at her omni-tool display and the smiling face of Stuart.

"Yeah I've got something to get to myself apparently." She sighed looking down then when she looked back up at Stuart she saw his face frowning in curiosity.

"I'll explain when I next see you." She said glancing over her shoulder once more then back again.

"Oh so there's going to be a second date then?" He grinned she laughed.

"If you play your cards right." She winked "I'll call you later?"

"Sure, see you later."

"Bye." She smiled closing down the omni-tool and getting changed into some clothes and trying her best to cover up her bruise with make-up.

Isabelle walked back down the stairs five minutes later to find Andrew stood at the door waiting for her.

"Quick let's move." He said opening the door for her to go; she rushed outside to find a cab waiting for her. "Come on." Andrew said from behind her ushering her forwards and into the cab. Isabelle climbed in and as the cab moved into action and drove away from her house she glanced over to Andrew with suspicion.

"You're being very cryptic as you take me away from my home Major." She spoke the suspicion in her voice coming through harsher then she had intended.

"Just trust me Isabelle; you will like this when you see it." He said she just rolled her eyes.

"Yeah you haven't really done much to quell the suspicion Daniels." She growled out as the cab pulled into the docks, she frowned as Andrew climbed out.

"Come on!" He hissed holding his hand out for her, she slowly put her hand in his and he dragged her out of the cab rushing past people and up one of the bays before slowing down at one of the airlocks two soldiers stood in front of the door into the air lock. Attached to that was a docking tube and on other end was a small space shuttle only when Andrew started pulling Isabelle towards the airlock did she suddenly pull back.

"Woah! Major!" She yelled pulling her hand out of his grasp as she stared at the shuttle. "I trust you enough to take me somewhere here on the Citadel but for bloody space travel you're going to have to explain what's going on!" Isabelle growled her eyes moving from the shuttle to the Major. He sighed and looked back to the two soldiers nodding them away, they moved a few feet away from the pair of them and Andrew looked back at Isabelle.

"Isabelle, look I know you've always wanted to do something in the Alliance, you've always wanted to be a part of something good, which is why I'm giving you this opportunity. I've seen how your father treats you… You need to get away from that environment Isabelle and if it means I get to take you to do something you love then that's great right?" He eyeballed Isabelle's bruise when he spoke about her father but this just made her frown more.

"Wait, what environment? Where are you taking me?" She asked.

"There's a top secret operation being put together by some of the Alliance brass, but it is so top secret that not even half of the Admirals know about it! They're putting together a special operations team, they've been nick named the N7 special operations, it's full of some of the best fighters in the galaxy who are retired from or used to be part of the Alliance or could not join up for unusual circumstances, like yours for example." He explained to her Isabelle nodded.

"Okay but what does that have to do with my father?" She questioned once again the Major's eyes moved up to her bruise.

"I've seen how he treats you Isabelle, your father… He is clearly not a good man; you need to get away from that kind of person and this team if you pass all the trials and join their ranks they will house you on their ship. Your father doesn't know about this special operation and he would kill me if he found out I was taking you to it but I can't bare to see a girl as lovely as you are being hurt for one more day!" Isabelle stood with her jaw ajar, Andrew Daniels, her father's right hand man, thought that her father, the man who loves her more than anyone else in the world, was beating Isabelle and to help her 'escape' from this abuse he's allowing her to do the one thing her father never would, join the Alliance, join the cause, make a difference for the better. But her father wasn't beating her; he would never lay a hand on Isabelle… But how could Isabelle turn down a chance like this? Major Daniels didn't need to know that he'd got things wrong, her father wouldn't find out, she could just tell him she was moving in with one of her friends, was she really considering this? A chance to join up? To be in the fight?

"I'll do it." Her voice didn't sound like her own and it all seemed like a dream as Andrew ushered her on to the shuttle and it pulled away from the Citadel, it was only once she could see the Citadel in the window of the shuttle that she realised what she was doing.

A short Mass Relay trip later and the pilot shouted back to let the Major know that they were nearing the space station 'Subversion'. Isabelle had sat in complete silence for the journey, she was unsure of what to do or say, once her father finds out what's happened that will be it, he will never forgive her for this one but it's far too good an opportunity to pass up, she needs to do something for the good of the galaxy, she needs to feel like she's done her part. There was no way she was just going to sit around while a war went on and deep down she thinks her father knew that.

"Look Isabelle there's something you must know about this place…" Andrew was speaking but Isabelle wasn't really listening her thoughts were still on her father, he just can't find out about it, she can't tell him and she's got to make sure nobody else does either. If he finds out, she wouldn't be able to bear his reaction.

"A lot of the people here… Well there's a reason they're here and not in the Alliance…" Andrew spoke again but Isabelle still wasn't paying attention, her father would probably stop speaking to her if he found out, she wouldn't be able to bear that, he's all she has; maybe this was a mistake…

"Isabelle, are you even listening!" Andrew's louder tone tore Isabelle from her thoughts.

"Sorry… What?" She said looking over at him, he sighed and started again.

"You've got to realise Isabelle that the men and women on this ship are not part of the Alliance for a reason…" Isabelle frowned at his words. "Some of them are just ex-Alliance, you know retired but not so old that they can't hold a gun anymore, but some of them are ex-Alliance for a reason. Many of them are probably dangerous; there are many different reasons for you to be… Wary of them. Most of them are mercenary's some were Alliance but something went wrong, I mean some of the people here and here because they hurt a lot of people Isabelle but they are the best of the best, and in this war that's what we need." Isabelle stared wide eyed at Andrew, maybe this was a bad idea, lying to her father, running away from him to a space station full of merc's and dangerous people? This was a bad idea. Suddenly there was a jolt and the sound of mechanicals outside the shuttle then Isabelle had that all too familiar sensation of the shuttle changing its pressure to match that inside the station. The Major stood up and Isabelle followed suit moving towards the door with him.

"Major I'm starting to think maybe…" The doors made a loud rushing noise as they opened cutting her thoughts short.

"These men and women aren't to be trusted to deeply Isabelle and although I hate to bring you here I think it's the best place for you, I know that if I were in your position I wouldn't be able to sit back and do nothing. Come on." He spoke as he moved out of the shuttle and into the docking bay of a large space station; it took Isabelle a moment to regain her composure as she looked up at the huge room.

"Wow." She mumbled before looking back down to find the Major heading towards an elevator.

"I get that Major I really do but you should-"

"You need to understand Isabelle that you can't get close to these people, they find out just who your father is and… Well let's just say a lot of these people will use that to their advantage…" Isabelle's eyes grew wide, she was certain this was a bad idea now.

"Major I really don't think this was-"

"But I mean you might not even be here long, I mean you've got to pass some pretty hard trails to get into this operation…" The elevator stopped and the pair walked out and into a hallway there were a few people walking around the halls a couple looked over at Isabelle, there were loads of different species, Asari, Turian Isabelle even saw a few Krogan. She glanced around at the people as she passed them gaining a few odd looks. "And after all I've never seen you in action so I can't really guarantee that you'll do well." That was it those words was all that she needed those words put Isabelle's back up, she glared over to the Major as they walked through another doorway.

"Trust me Major I'd be at the top of all these bloody trials if I took them!" She growled out this gained her a look from the Major now though.

"_If_ you took them? Having doubts Isabelle?" He looked across to her as they walked towards the end of another hallway.

"Well actually Major-" Suddenly the pair took a sharp turning to the left just as they did someone else came out of a doorway right in front of Isabelle and ran straight into her knocking her off of her feet.

"Oh I'm so sorry…" Came a voice she recognised she looked up to the person who had now stopped and was looking back at her. "Isabelle?" Stuart Wilson was stood in front of her his hand held out to help her up, she took it and stared at him in utter confusion.

"Stuart…" She said in shock as he pulled her to her feet.

"Well it's good that you already know somebody here Isabelle." Andrew said from beside her.

"Oh sorry Major Daniels I didn't see you there." Stuart said letting go of Isabelle's hand and saluting Andrew.

"It's not a problem Private Wilson. How do you know Isabelle then?" Andrew asked relieving the man.

"We met last night." Isabelle informed Andrew suspiciously staring at Stuart only thinking of the words that Andrew just told her about the type of people in this place 'there's a reason they're here…' 'They're dangerous…' the words rung through her mind as if Andrew was saying them right then.

"Well at least you'll have someone to talk to if you pass eh Isabelle?" Andrew said smiling between the two, but they both seemed too in shock to take much notice of him. "We really need to get you signed in now Isabelle there'll be time for catching up later."

"Of course Andrew." Isabelle nodded "See you later Stuart." Stuart just briskly nodded to her as Andrew ushered her away and towards another elevator to get her signed in.

"We will need to sign you in under a different name of course Isabelle, most of the people here know who you father is… Some were even dismissed from the Alliance because of him, so you can imagine they're not fond of him." Andrew was talking and Isabelle's eyes were only getting wider as she took everything in, the station itself was unbelievably impressive, but not Andrews was telling her some people on the station might have some kind of vendetta against her own father? Why was this a good idea again? Of course she wasn't voicing her concerns now, she didn't want to leave now, she had a reason to stay Stuart Wilson. Why was he here? He didn't mention anything when they spoke about his job, but then why would he? The pair have barely known each other a day, although if it wasn't anything too serious then surely he _would_ have mentioned it. Of course Isabelle's brain is straight away going for the worst case scenario, that Stuart is ex-Alliance for a _very _serious reason and that her father was the one that gave the order to kick him out but then he would know her, he knows her last name. She _needed_ to find out about him, but first to get signed in she then realised that she'd been so busy thinking about Stuart she hadn't heard a word Andrews had said.

"… Obviously they will know about whom you are, they are the ones in charge here."

"Sorry who is this we're talking about?" Isabelle asked breaking from her thoughts so she could get this through with and get to finding Stuart.

"The Admirals! Do you listen to anything? The Admirals that _do_ know about this operation are well aware of your presence, Admiral Hackett, Admiral Anderson and Admiral Green are just a few of them, I know how you get along with Admiral Green." Andrew threw Isabelle a sideways smile at the mention of the Admiral she knew, Rosemary Green was among one of the few women Isabelle had met that she had actually liked. The pair got on famously and would often spend all their evenings together at the formal parties; Rose had been one of the main Commanders in the Skyllian Blitz which is what got her the attention for a promotion. She was like a mother to Isabelle which has always been fuelled by the fact that her and Isabelle's father were so obviously in love, though neither would ever admit it, most of the Admirals knew Isabelle's mother and although it'd been a few years there was never an acceptable time to be 'over' your wife in their eyes.

"Got it." Isabelle nodded swiftly.

"However I'll be signing you in as Isabelle Smith and I'd like you to use that name in future if that's okay?" Isabelle just nodded this time. "Does your friend Wilson know your last name?" Isabelle looked at the Major for a second before shaking her head, she lied, he did know her last name but he didn't know who she was she was sure of it, or at least she hoped he didn't.

"Well then Recruit Smith, let's get you signed in." Andrew said before ushering her into a room.

After three hours of paperwork, signing fake names and pretending she was someone else Isabelle left the room eager to search the ship and, luckily, Andrew-free after he'd been called away by Alliance brass. He'd said he would be back in a few hours to take her back to the Citadel so she could bring some stuff here and tell her father she was leaving. Panic set in as she realised she'd have to actually tell her father something, lie to him about where she was going, tell him she was going to stay with a friend, but what friend? Who would vouch for her like that? Isabelle sighed as she exited an elevator and went two floors down from where she'd left Andrew, as she was told to do by him, as this floor was one of the floors for the crew's quarters, it also happened to be the floor she last saw Stu on.

However while Isabelle rushed to this floor looking for Stuart he was a floor up heading the opposite way, ever since he'd bumped into Isabelle he couldn't stop thinking about her, why was she here? How did she know the Major on first name basis? He knew the people here; Isabelle did not seem like one of them. The lift opened as Stuart went up a floor looking for Isabelle on the briefing floor, he walked around the empty halls for a while searching for her before heading for the room they take all the new recruits, he walked straight up to one of the occupied desks a pretty blonde sat opposite him playing on her computer.

"Excuse me," He said leaning against the table she looked up at him with a smile.

"What can I do for you Private?" She asked happily.

"I'm hoping you can help me, has a Recruit called Trufello just been signed in up here?" He asked, the woman shook her head.

"Trufello? No, no Trufello I'm afraid." The conversation caught the ear of Major Daniels who was stood in the corner talking on his omni-tool, as soon as he heard the conversation though he cut the call.

"Well that's impossible she literally just came up here? Isa-"

"Private Wilson!" Major Daniels cut off the young man as he approached.

"Ah Major!" Stuart saluted.

"At ease Private, I believe I can help you find who you're looking for…" He paused for a moment glancing at the blonde before nodding his head away from her. "Come with me." Stuart followed the Major out into the halls and to a more secluded part of the hallway.

"Private, Miss. Trufello told me she did not tell you her last name. For her own safety she is going by the name Smith while on this ship I'd prefer it if you could not call her by her true name." The Major spoke in hushed tones which only worried Stuart.

"What? Why- Her own safety? Pardon the unprofessionalism here Major but what?" He asked in utter confusion.

"You do know who her father is Private?" The look of total confusion on Stuart's face must have answered the Majors question because he then sighed and held his forehead in his hand.

"I believe you should speak to Isabelle Private Wilson, she's down on the crew's floor, room 29T."

"Thank you Major." Stuart saluted once more before running back to the elevator.

Isabelle hadn't bumped into Stuart in the halls on the way to her room like she had hoped to she would have continued looking for him but Andrew had been intent on her going to her room before doing anything else just to get a feel for the place as she walked through the doorway of room 29T she nearly blindsided an Asari who was just leaving.

"Oh sorry!" The Asari apologised with a smile.

"Oh not to worry," She smiled and expected the Asari to quickly move out of her way assuming she was a cleaner or something, however when the Asari didn't move Isabelle spoke again. "Are you like room service or something? Cleaning the room out for the new girl?" Isabelle asked the Asari just stared at her for a few moments summing her up before bursting into laughter.

"_Room service?"_ The Asari howled out amongst her laughter "Where do you think you are sweetheart Azure!"

"Oh no, I'm so sorry…" The Asari just laughed still pulling Isabelle into the room.

"No need to be sorry new girl I haven't laughed like that in ages!" She chuckled out as Isabelle surveyed the room. "You must be my new roomie!" She smiled, two beds, Isabelle would be sharing with this Asari.

"Um…" Is all Isabelle could manage, she didn't have any siblings, not anymore, she had grown up her entire life being spoilt and definitely not sharing.

"Well what's your name new girl?" The Asari asked Isabelle just stared between the two beds before she looked back at the smiling Asari bringing herself back to reality.

"Isabelle, my name is Isabelle Tru-" Isabelle cut herself off gaining a suspicious look from the Asari. "I mean, Isabelle Smith… Pleasure to meet you, sorry about calling you room service." She smiled and held out her hand.

"I'm Julia, Julia Sands it's a pleasure to meet you too Isabelle. I've been wondering when they were going to fill my room up, I was starting to get lonely" she smiled.

"Oh? Was there somebody here before me then or?"

"Oh no you're the first, they've filled up nearly every other room on this floor though, and everyone was getting a roommate but me. Now I get a funny one! Glad I waited really!" She laughed Isabelle smiled back at her as she stepped over to her bed and sat down on it feeling it out.

"You must be a light packer?" Julia asked looking around for a case "Or is the bell boy bringing it up?" She laughed once more this time Isabelle joined her.

"Oh no I'm moving my stuff in later tonight." She explained

"Ah." Julia nodded moving to her own wardrobe situated at the end of her bed, the room was plain, all grey with two single beds on either side of the room to each other and wardrobes against the end of them. There was also two desks beside the wardrobes that were used for paperwork Isabelle assumed, she also noted a curtain that could be pulled between the two beds for some privacy. As Julia rummaged through her wardrobe Isabelle realised something, she sat up straight on the edge of her bed and looked at her Asari roommate.

"Hey, urm, Julia…"

"Uh-huh." She mumbled her head still inside the wardrobe.

"Do you know a, uh, Stuart? Stuart Wilson?" There was a bang in reply to the question as Julia suddenly stopped and turned back to Isabelle suspiciously.

"Only been here two seconds and already eyeing up the cutie's eh new girl?" She chuckled again. "I like your style! Yeah I know him; New York accents always do it for me!"

"Oh good, do you know where I might find him?" Isabelle asked Julia thought for a moment.

"Yeah I think he shares a room with Stark, not far from here, I can take you if you like?" She motioned towards the door, Isabelle stood up with a smile.

"If you wouldn't mind?" But before the pair could get another step closer to the doorway it burst open.

"Isabelle!" Stuart called out when his eyes landed on her.

"Oh, well we do get room service after all!" Julia chuckled out.

"Yeah looks like his ears were burning…" Isabelle said looking at Stuart suspiciously.

"What?" Julia asked Isabelle smiled and shook her head.

"Human saying…" She explained. "Stuart do you know my new roommate Julia Sand-"

"We know each other…" Stuart cut her off. "Private Sand."

"Wilson." Julia nodded before looking back to Isabelle. "Well there was something I needed to do anyway and clearly you two want to be alone, I'll see you later Smith!" She said as she left the room, Isabelle waved to her back as Stuart closed the door behind her.

"Smith?" Stuart questioned Isabelle went to speak but he stopped her. "And before you start lying I've spoken to Major Daniels, or should I call him _Andrew_ he's told me all about 'Isabelle Smith'" he said sarcastically using air quotations.

"_All_ about me?" Isabelle questioned worrying about what Andrew had said.

"No just that for your protection you needed to change your name something about your father but he wouldn't tell me anything else." Stuart explained Isabelle let out a breath.

"So he knows you know my real name? Shit, did he seem mad that I lied?" Isabelle asked Stuart just threw her a frown back.

"This entire situation is fucking messed up Isabelle! Everything anyone tells me just raises more questions! Why _didn't_ you tell the Major I knew who you were? Why didn't you tell _me_ you were in fact in the Alliance? Why _have_ you had to change your name? Who do you need _'protection'_ from? How do you know the Major on a first name basis? Who _exactly _isyour father? Who are _you_ and where the hell is the woman I met last night?" He asked almost all at once Isabelle glared at him.

"You aren't exactly clean in this yourself Stuart! You didn't exactly tell me much about yourself last night either! Andrew told me exactly what it takes to be here! You have to either be retired, a mercenary or be ex-Alliance for 'dangerous' reasons! So which is it Stuart?" She growled out.

"I'm retired…" He lied

"Don't bullshit me Stuart! You're barely over 25!" She growled throwing her hand out at him turning away.

"Oh I can't lie to you yet you can lie to me? That's all you've done since I met you last night is lie!" He spat.

"No I haven't! Everything I said to you last night was the truth! I just didn't tell you everything…" She softened as she heard him approach her from behind.

"So _tell_ me…" His hand touched her shoulder, she sighed.

"My father… Is a very important person he's… Known by a lot of the people here and some of them don't exactly like him, so his only daughter could be seen as a great bargaining chip." Isabelle half explained. "I didn't know I was going to be coming here till this morning."

"Who is your father?" He pushed Isabelle turned on him with a glare.

"I can't tell you that, I just can't… What if, what if you know him? Or you tell someone who knows him? Andrew risked a lot to get me here, I won't betray that trust the first chance I get." She explained.

"You didn't seem too worried about betraying his trust when you lied to him about me before…" Stuart spat gaining him a painful glare from Isabelle.

"Well what about you Stuart Wilson? I think it's your turn to talk! Why are you here? You could sign up to any Alliance ship out there! Why here?" She hissed.

"I…" Stuart sighed looking back up at Isabelle's emerald eyes for what felt like the longest time in the world as he clearly argued about telling her something, eventually his eyes fell to the floor and she knew he wasn't going to tell her he sighed again and turned away from her. "I can't tell you, it might change your view of me completely." He said still looking away Isabelle sighed now as she sat down on the bed.

"This isn't exactly the way to start a new relationship, a bunch of hidden away secrets." She half laughed he returned the failed laugh looking over at her with a grin.

"So you wanted a relationship out of me then?" He smirked she just rolled her eyes.

"Oh no, I was just using you for your body…" She said sarcastically, Stuart laughed and moved over to sit beside her on the bed.

"Maybe we should just leave it… For a while I mean I have a lot of training to do to prove to Andrew that his gamble will pay off… I'm going to be working my butt off and I'm sure you will be too?" She looked over to see Stuart's reaction, he looked a little sad but nodded anyway.

"Yeah, maybe that's best…" He said standing up Isabelle stood too moving with him towards the door. She opened it for him and he stepped out turning back to look at her once more.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you Isabelle…" He looked around before whispering "Trufello." Isabelle couldn't help but smile.

"The pleasure's been all mine Stuart Wilson." She held her hand out for him to shake, he just looked down at it before looking back up at her with a smirk as he took her hand and pulled her towards him he kissed her just lightly on the lips at first, his shyness suddenly taking over as he panicked that he'd done the wrong thing but when Isabelle's hands found their way to the back of his head he knew it was the right thing to do. As she pulled away from him they stayed inches away from each other before Stuart gently kissed her forehead and then pulled away walking down the hall leaving Isabelle stood alone in her doorway.


	5. Chapter 5

5.

_Six months later._

Half a year has passed since the day that Major Daniels had told Isabelle about the secret operation team that he wanted her to be a part of and so much has changed since that faithful day. One of the main things that changed for Isabelle was her living conditions, six months ago she was still living with her father and their FENRIS mech Patches but the afternoon of her leaving for the station called the 'Subversion' she moved from living with her father, telling him she was going to live with one of her friends back in London on Earth, her father took the news surprisingly well happy that he wouldn't have to keep leaving her alone she guessed. Isabelle herself had been constantly studying and training and had completely proven herself to Major Daniels when she'd told him she would be the best she truly was, acing any quiz or training exercise they gave to her. The 'group' itself had also become much larger, once word was discreetly spread through the Alliance and the other races about the team people told people and eventually the 'group' became a small army, a whole branch of the Alliance split apart from the rest and covered in as much secrecy as was possible. However there was one big change that was about to happen, you see the station where Isabelle was based was nowhere near Earth, the only reason she had told her father that's where she would be living was because she knew he wouldn't ask to see her often if she said that, really they were stationed in the Annos Basin system and the station had shuttles and ships based on the Normandy's stealth designs so they were never detected by Reapers when they were dropping the teams into hot zones. Isabelle hadn't yet been deployed on a mission, apparently while recruits were still training they weren't allowed on missions but she thought it might have just been Daniels trying to keep her safe, it killed Isabelle every time her roommate Julia got to leave for a mission and Isabelle didn't, it was during one of these times that Isabelle heard the news that was going to rock her world.

"Another mission!" Isabelle whined when Julia started changing into her armour.

"Yeah…" Julia replied slightly guiltily.

"But you've only just got back! What am I going to do without you? We were going to play poker with the guys in 19R tonight!" Julia had become quite the friend to Isabelle in the past six months, the pair got on really well, a lot better than most of the other roommates and Julia seemed to understand Isabelle's situation with her father and with Stuart, although she hadn't yet broken the news to Julia that her father was who he was she just told her that she had an overbearing dad.

"You'll be fine rookie! The guys in 19R aren't going on the mission; you can still go kick their scaly arses!" She laughed Isabelle just pouted back, she wasn't the new girl anymore but it was a nickname that had somehow stuck with Julia.

"I suck at poker! You know that! I have a terrible poker face!" Isabelle pouted.

"Oh okay well how about when I get back I'll work on your poker face with you?" Julia spoke to Isabelle like a parent promising sweets to a child.

"No need to take the piss!" Isabelle stuck her tongue out as she followed the fully armoured Julia out of the door to their room. "Well… Have fun I guess, good luck, try not to get killed and all that." Isabelle joked Julia laughed as she turned to look back at her Latina friend.

"Your concern has never made me feel more loved…" Julia joked back Isabelle just laughed as they walked out to the hallway still smiling, Isabelle noted how busy it seemed.

"Was there a fire drill we missed or something?" Julia asked from Isabelle's side Isabelle threw her a smile before someone coming towards them caught Isabelle's attention.

"Isabelle!" Stuart called from her side; the pair had barely spoken since they argued six months ago, he was wearing a full suit of armour too holding his helmet in his hand. Isabelle couldn't stand seeing him in his armour it made him look just that bit more attractive but the worry on his face told Isabelle that wasn't the thing she should be thinking about right now.

"What? What's happening?" She asked Julia turned on him now too hoping he would explain all the bustle.

"Have you not seen the news?" Stuart questioned her before gently taking her arm and pulling her into the nearest lounge area. There was a good twenty people all stood around the screen that was up on the wall and plastered all over that screen were images of Earth; Earth burning. Isabelle stepped forwards pushing her way through a few people hoping what she was seeing wasn't true but as she got closer her stomach dropped.

"No…" She whispered as she saw a Reaper descend right in the centre of New York City, then the screen flashed and there was another shot, tears started to push as the corners of Isabelle's eyes as she moved more people out of the way until she was dead in front of the screen.

"No!" Isabelle shouted as she watched the Reapers descending on to London. "London!" She whispered now as she suddenly felt two cold hard arms wrap around her she looked to her side to see Stuart.

"Oh Stu…" She whispered allowing herself to move into his arms as he led her out of the room where the sound of screaming and panic from the news wasn't so overwhelming.

"Not Earth…" She whispered still holding the tears back as they threatened the rims of her eyes.

"I'm so sorry Iz…" Julia said from her side.

"We'll get them Belle, don't you worry." Stuart spoke from her other side his arm still round her shoulders.

"Private Wilson! Private Sands! You're shuttle leaves in two minutes! Why aren't you on it!" one of the senior's shouted from down the hall.

"We'll talk when I get back Iz, don't dwell on this, it'll drive you mad." Julia said before running off towards the elevator.

"Isabelle…" Stuart whispered as she turned to face him.

"Earth Stu… _Earth_. They're in New York, London…" She allowed her eyes to fall to the ground as a single tear finally escaped and slipped down her face. "I had friends there, family, so did you! Everyone's probably already gone…" She whispered staring at the floor between Stuart's feet; he wiped the tear from her cheek and moved her chin so she would look up at him.

"We're going to get it back Belle, you've got to believe that." He spoke confidently.

"Wilson!" The senior shouted from the end of the hallway.

"Go Stuart, they need you…" She whispered stepping away from him.

"So do you…" He said his hands dropping to his sides Isabelle allowed a smile to leave her lips at this moment.

"I'll be here when you get back, I promise." She said with a smile he stood for a moment before reluctantly turning around and walking down the hallway receiving a smack to the back of the head from the senior as they stepped into the elevator together. Isabelle stood for a moment allowing her head to pull itself in the direction of the windows of the lounge area she stared at the screen through the windows watching the destruction as tears came to her eyes once more something else caught her attention. A subtle vibration on her arm and a less subtle orange flash told her that someone was hailing her omni-tool. She knew it would be her father and she felt a sudden panic about what she was going to tell him, she couldn't ignore it he would think the worst, she rushed back into her room, as Daniels had given her strict instructions never to let anyone see her on a call to her father or any of the other Admiral's for that matter. She opened the omni-tool and there was her father in his dress blues with a panicked look on his face.

"Isabelle! I was just in a meeting with Green; she told me about Earth what's happening? Are you okay?" He asked all at once, Isabelle smiled at her worried father.

"I'm fine Dad, don't worry, I wasn't, erm, on Earth when the attack happened. Is everyone else okay? The family? Rose or any of the other Admirals weren't on Earth when it happened were they?" Isabelle spoke truthfully to her father for once in the past six months.

"What? You weren't?… I haven't heard from your auntie yet, I'm hoping they're okay… Arcturus Station has been hit, hard from what we can gather… A lot of friends lost but only Anderson was on Earth when they hit, sorting things out with Shepard, I swear that woman is more hassle then she's worth! If you weren't on Earth Isabelle where were you? Where are you now?" He questioned suspiciously.

"I'm not hurt, I'm not on Earth. I'm okay… Can't you just be thankful for that? Anderson? Is he okay? Did he and Shepard make it off Earth? What's going to happen?" Isabelle asked.

"Anderson is fine, Shepard is _fine… _Anderson stayed to help however he can and at the moment we are just waiting on Shepard to go and make nice with the aliens _now_ Isabelle Jayne Trufello you will tell me where you are this instant!" He growled Isabelle sighed looking around her room.

"I can't Dad okay? Just know that I am safe, I am okay and I'm doing my bit, please don't make a fuss about this!"

"Do… Doing your bit? Isabelle I hope that doesn't mean what I think it means! Where are you? You're in a lot of trouble missy!"

"Dad I have to go! I'll call you again as soon as possible."

"No Isabelle we need to talk about this…"

"Sorry can't talk now, bye Dad…"

"Don't you dare hang up on me!" And with that Isabelle cut off the call she took a deep breath as she fell back on to her bed and let out a long sigh playing around with her omni-tool so she couldn't receive any hails as she headed upstairs to the training area.

Isabelle couldn't believe everything that had happened, why did it happen today of all days? It was the last day of her training and her and the other 'rookies' who were also passing today had been looking forward to this day for weeks. Isabelle thought through the day's events as she threw punches into a punching bag in the work out section of the ship, there were only a few of the other recruits in the room with her so she was taking all her anger out on the bag.

"You've heard about Earth then?" A voice came from behind her she span around her fists still raised and found Major Daniels; she instantly stood up straight and saluted him.

"Isabelle… There's really no need for that." He said as he casually leant against the wall in front of her.

"I've heard." She nodded relaxing her arm so it fell back to her side.

"So your father's been in touch?" He asked she nodded again. "What did you say?"

"That I wasn't on Earth at the time." She explained.

"Where did you tell him you were?" He frowned at her.

"I didn't, he put me on the spot and I couldn't think of anywhere so I just told him I was safe and doing my part." She told Daniels who chuckled as he walked towards the punching bag she was just using.

"I bet he took that well…" He laughed.

"I ended up having to hang up on him…" She said her eyes falling to the floor due to the guilty feeling that pulled in her stomach. "He said Arcturus Station was hit… Bad?" She questioned looking back up at him curiously to see him nod sadly "But Admiral Anderson was on the ground at Earth? Is he okay?" She asked.

"He's fine, who's left of the Admirals have just heard from him, he's meeting up with what's left of the Alliance down there from what I've been told we're just-"

"Waiting on Shepard to make nice to the aliens? Dad told me." Daniels stood in shock for a moment before chuckling again.

"He always did tell you too much Isabelle; it often got him into trouble…" Daniels said reproachfully, almost sounding like he was scolding Isabelle. She dropped her head to look at the floor again that guilty feeling returning as she considered how much her father did give up for her. Daniels obviously noticed he had touched a nerve and swiftly changed the subject.

"At least I'm happy to see you're practising for this evening…" He said patting the punching bag she was using.

"This evening?" Isabelle questioned looking back up to him not knowing what he was talking about.

"Do you ever read your e-mails? There's a little tradition we have here on the Subversion, a little bit of an initiation for the rookies. A scrap between you guys and some of the Privates here on the station, some people even put bets on, it's just a bit of fun, nothing serious so don't go trying to kill your partner okay?" He laughed Isabelle smiled back and nodded.

"Sounds fun." She smiled she could do with something to take her mind off Earth and her father.

"Well it's down in the cargo hold at six, all the Privates should be back from their missions by then, I'll see you later Recruit Smith." Isabelle nodded to the Major as he walked away from her before continuing to punch the bag, now she had a reason to get some training in.

As evening came the Privates started coming back in and amongst them was Julia who rushed back to her room as soon as she could only to find Isabelle sat on her bed watching a vid. Isabelle placed the pad down when Julia entered the room and stood up.

"Are you okay?" Julia asked Isabelle nodded.

"I think so; as long as we're still fighting the bastards I think I'll be okay." She smiled Julia nodded.

"Good!" She agreed. "Nothing interesting again today, just went and over saw a delivery of fuel to a colony, didn't even shoot my gun."

"Damn, well at least your days been as boring as mine then." Isabelle laughed Julia nodded as she started removing her armour.

"We've got that sparring thing in a few minutes haven't we? Want to go down there early and place a few bets on ourselves?" Julia asked with a grin.

"Oh you're in it too?" Julia nodded. "Okay then, how do they pick who's going to fight who then?" Isabelle asked as the pair left the room and headed for the elevator.

"Well when we turn up two of the Major's will have boxes with little slips of paper written down on them from one to twenty, one for each recruit. The rookies have to take a slip from one box and the Privates take from the other then another of the Major's will have another set of boxes with all the same numbers in them both and he'll pull numbers out from those and those two will spar… Completely random." Julia explained.

"That all seems so…" The elevator dinged at the cargo hold as the two girls, and two other people who were in the lift with them, got out. "Old fashioned." Isabelle laughed.

"What do you mean?" Julia asked with a laugh.

"Well you think they'd have a machine to do all that for us!" Isabelle explained Julia just rolled her eyes.

"That's very lazy of you Rookie! It's all part of the tradition, plus this way the Majors can fix the fight so if they _really_ wanted to see two people spar they can… They done it a few months ago, this one Turian thought he was the best at everything a total jerk so the Majors fixed the match so he'd fight one of their best men, got the crap beaten out of him!" The two girls laughed. "From what I've heard about this time they want to put Stark, you know Wilson's roommate the Turian? Against this human guy Ganger, they've been at each other's throats for weeks; Stark hates him from what he's told me…" The two girls split apart for a few moments only to pass a large group of recruits who were already down there. "That's another reason for them to fix the match; it helps vent the anger sometimes." Isabelle nodded to her Asari friend as they walked up to the 'ring' that was really just a large space in the cargo hold that everyone had surrounded.

"Privates over here, Rookies over here." Major Daniels was stood on top of a make shift podium, that was actually just an empty container, with two of the other Majors who were climbing down each side of the container with boxes in their hands.

"Come find me back over here when you get your number okay Rookie?" Julia said as she started walking over to the right, Isabelle nodded to her before walking over to the left. As she queued waiting for the rookies to each get a number she glanced over to the Privates line and her eyes landed on Stuart who was looking back at her she smiled over to him and he returned it just as she was about to mouth something to him she got shoved from behind she looked around to see two of the rookie guys having a bit of a scuffle.

"Hey! Save it for the ring… Idiots." One of the Asari's in front of them said pulling them apart.

"Recruit Smith?" Isabelle glanced around at the sound of her fake name to find she was suddenly the front of the queue.

"Oh! Sorry." She whispered to the Major as she rushed forwards and grabbed her paper. She glanced down at it, '13' she sighed and moved back to near the back of the ring.

"13…" She said to Julia who was already standing there. "It's an unlucky number to humans."

"I got 4… Let's hope we don't get called together right?" Isabelle nodded as the last of the numbers were given out and the two Majors got back on the container, Daniels then pulled out two boxes himself.

"Who's first then?" He questioned happily as he pulled out one number. "20 from the rookies…" The Asari who had just split up the two guys in the queue stepped up. "Ah Recruit Reynolds… And… 15 from the Privates…" A Turian stepped forwards the Asari from the rookies grinned, she obviously knew the man. "Private Hanziton… Ready? Fight!" The pair instantly broke into a fight as the crowd cheered on. Even though the Asari was using her biotics, something that surprisingly isn't banned in this sparring, the Turian still managed to outdo her and won, much to the disappointment of the rookies. After fifteen more fights Isabelle's number still hadn't been called and neither had Julia's and the Private's were winning over the rookies 6-9. Stark's number had just been called and it was like Julia had suspected he was fighting against the Recruit Ganger.

"Told you." Julia whispered to Isabelle as the two stepped up.

"Alright I just want to remind you two that this is _friendly_ sparring, no real damage you both need to be fit for duty tomorrow!" Major Daniels reminded as the two men scowled at each other. "Alright… Fight!" Before Daniels had even managed to finish the word Stark had already launched out and punched Ganger in the face with a swipe so hard it would have easily knocked anyone else clean out.

"Come on Stark!" Julia screamed from beside Isabelle. "He's a proper solider, knows everything there is to know about fighting and guns! He's gonna win this easy…" Julia boasted with a look of pride Isabelle hadn't seen on her before, Isabelle let out a laugh that distracted Julia from the fight to look over at her.

"What?" She asked seeing the look on the Latina's face.

"You like him!" Isabelle laughed out over all the cheering.

"Well yeah he's my brother in arms; I need to _like_ the guy!" Isabelle shook her head at Julia's reply.

"No I mean you _like_ him…" Isabelle laughed raising her eyebrows to emphasise what she meant.

"He's a solider, I like soldier's because they're fighting for the cause they're defenders of the galaxy they're…" Her eyes moved over to Stark just as he got another decent punch in on Ganger's ribs. "So damn sexy…" She said distractedly, Isabelle nearly fell over in laughter.

"Whatever floats your boat Jules!" She smiled at her distracted friend. The fight between Stark and Ganger finished with Stark winning leaving the recruits trailing to a four fight lead which meant they had to win the last four fights just to break even.

"12 from the rookies" A short man stepped out from the back. "Recruit Adams… And 4 from the Privates." Julia laughed slightly throwing a glance in Isabelle's direction.

"You might as well kiss this competition goodbye now Rookie cause I'm so beating this guy!" She laughed rushing over to the ring.

"Good luck!" Isabelle called out to her.

"Private Sands… Good luck. Fight!" Major Daniels called out, turns out the short man had amazing biotic power, and although Julia did too, and being a Vanguard she should have been killing this guy, somehow he was putting up a good fight.

"Come on Jules!" Isabelle called gaining a glare from the rookie beside her. Finally Adams got Julia down and held her there for five seconds.

"Recruit Adams wins!" Major Daniels called out sounding slightly shocked himself Julia stood up with a growl and stormed back over to Isabelle people in the crowd moving out of her way to make sure they didn't get hurt.

"Fucking little biotic shit!" She spat out storming straight past Isabelle and off into the back.

"A quick reminder that this is all _friendly_…" The sound of Julia kicking over a canister behind Isabelle cut the Major off. "There's no need to get competitive." Isabelle looked back at Julia with a laugh on her lips.

"Okay then 6 from the Privates…" The Major continued on, Stuart stepped in to the ring with a blush over his cheeks; Isabelle smiled, knowing that he hated being put in the spot light like this. "Ah Private Wilson…" Daniels said before pulling another number from the other box. "And number 13 from the Rookies." It took a moment for Isabelle to realise she was number thirteen and in that moment Julia had managed to run back over to her side.

"Now _this_ should be interesting!" Julia laughed nudging Isabelle forwards.

"Number 13?" Daniels called out again; Isabelle just stared dreamily at Stuart as she walked in to the ring. "Oh, urm, Recruit Smith… Right…" Daniels shot Stuart a look but Stuart was just staring in shock at Isabelle who was staring back at him. "Well get ready… Fi-"

"No wait, Major, I can't do this, I can't fight Isabelle." Stuart interrupted the Major only to be met with a chorus of 'boo's' from the crowd which only made him blush a deep crimson.

"Well we could always switch your numbers…" Isabelle stepped forwards now as the boo's got louder.

"It's fine Major, we'll spar… I don't mind."

"What? How can you not mind? I don't want to hit you!" Stuart turned on Isabelle with a frown as the boo's got so loud now she was sure that nobody could hear what they were saying.

"Sure you do… Just think, I'm here on this ship with you, a ship full of mercenary's and murderers and you have no idea why and anytime you ask me all I do is lie…" Isabelle tried winding him up.

"Yeah well that does make me angry but not enough to-"

"I'm under protection and you have _no_ idea why and when you ask what is it I do? Oh, oh yeah that's it I _lie_…" She noted his hand become a fist.

"I'm not going to fight-"

"I mean I won't even tell you who my own _father_ is! You met me that night and I just fed you lie after lie after lie and yet you still expected to be in some kind of relationship with me?" Isabelle sarcastically raised her hand to her chest. "How sweet, but how on Earth do you expect to be in a relationship with a girl who won't even tell you her father's name? Who can't go twenty minutes without lying to you? Who has a _very_ good reason to be on this ship… But will never tell you what that is? It's a bit, well _sad_ really-" She was cut off by Stuart lunging towards her she ducked underneath him and rolled so she came out behind him as the crowd suddenly started cheering, she swiftly turned and kicked him in the back he fell forwards but caught himself quicker than Isabelle was expecting him to which caught her off guard and he managed to catch the back of her leg with his foot causing her to fall on to her back with a loud thump he was then quick to jump on top of her.

"So you admit it? You lied that whole night? On our date? You are just a lying bitch? Damn it! I should have known it was too good to be true!" He growled at her holding her wrists down, Isabelle felt the burning of her biotics inside her and before she knew it she'd thrown Stuart off of her and across the other side of the ring, Stuart was an Infiltrator he knew a few bits of hand to hand combat but he was far better with a sniper rifle.

"Did you just call me a _bitch?_" Isabelle had stood now and was hastily, and angrily, closing the gap between the pair throwing out another biotic wave at him but he managed to dodge this and came towards her. Just as he got close she lashed out punching him in the side winding him before pushing him to the ground she climbed on top of him and held him down.

"Who's the liar Stuart? You! When you asked what my job was I _told you_ at the time I _was _working in an office on the Citadel! All you told me about your job is that it was 'a military secret'! How would you have been able to hold up a relationship when you're telling your wife that?" Stuart suddenly overpowered Isabelle and rolled over so he was on top of her, the crowd were still screaming loud enough for their argument to continue.

"Wife! Getting a bit ahead of yourself there aren't you? We clearly don't even _know_ each other!" He growled holding down her wrists once more.

"Well then tell me Stuart why are you here? What did you do that was so bad that you couldn't join the Alliance?" She glared up at him.

"I could ask you the same thing!" He spat back Isabelle just continued to silently glare up at him.

"Five… Four… Three…" The crowd chanted and Isabelle suddenly realised she was about to lose, well she wouldn't have that, she used her biotics once again throwing him off of her not quite as far this time. She quickly jumped up and regained her composure as he ran back towards her she caught him with her biotics and lifted him into the air before, a little _too _forcibly, sending his body back down to crash against the ground with a rather loud thud. She then ran over and jumped on top of him holding him down with a wicked grin on her face.

"Five…" Stuart looked up at her as she moved to hold down his wrists her hands glowing blue with the biotic power she was putting behind it to hold Stuart down this time.

"Four…" As he stared up at the brunette beauty he was reminded of all the reasons he like her so much and the smirk that grew on his face made Isabelle bite her lip as she examined his tanned strongly featured face.

"Three…" He smiled back at those beautiful emerald green eyes of hers that always got him tongue-tied she searched his deep ocean blue ones in return wondering what he was thinking right then, when his eyes moved from her own to her lips she realised he was thinking exactly what she was.

"Two…" She quickly moved down forgetting where she was and the crowd that was around them at that moment, to her it was just her and Stuart in that room right now. So she kissed him she placed her lips against his own in a sweet kiss that Stuart was quick to deepen as he moved his hands to the back of her head.

"One…?" The crowd called out then all became deafly silent, which was what dragged Isabelle from her sweet moment with Stuart and back to reality. She suddenly pulled away from Stuart she looked at him for a moment as they both seemed to realise what had just happened, she stood up and turned to face the Majors her arms behind her back, and Stuart did the same.

"That still counts right?" One of the recruits called out which seemed to break Major Daniels out of his shocked silence as he moved his gaze from staring wide eyed at Isabelle over to the recruit that had spoken.

"No way! She manipulated him with her looks." One of the more competitive Privates called out.

"Excuse me!" Isabelle growled looking over to him but as she moved to walk over to him Stuart stopped her with his hand shaking his head.

"She didn't manipulate me Major… She won fair and square." Stuart said looking over to Isabelle with a slight sadness in his eyes Isabelle just frowned before looking back to Daniels and the other Majors who were all still stood in silence.

"This… This has never happened before…" Daniels finally spoke. "But you're right Private, Recruit Smith won!" The recruits all cheered as she smiled over to them, she glanced back at Stuart who just glanced back at her briefly with a hurt look in his eyes before returning back to the crowd.

"You just made this whole damn day worthwhile!" Julia laughed out as Isabelle returned to her side.

"Hah, yeah…" Isabelle mumbled out as the fights continued.

The recruits ended up winning the last four fights bringing them to a 10-10 tie with the Privates there was no tie breaker though, the Majors saw the tie as a good omen for relations between the two sets of teams.

"Well congratulations Recruits I can now say you are fully fledged Privates! Well done!" The Major called out as everyone cheered. "There will be plenty of time for celebrations next time we're on shore leave at the Citadel, for now you all need to get back to your rooms for a good night's sleep to prepare for your missions tomorrow." Some more cheers from the Recruits before everyone cleared out the cargo hold, Julia and Isabelle somehow lucked out and managed to get in one of the first elevator rides up to the crews quarters they were discussing the different fights all the way.

"Okay so explain one thing to me… Why do they let you use biotics? I mean surely that instantly gives an advantage to biotics that it doesn't give to others?" Isabelle asked as they got off the elevator and walked towards their room.

"Well you're actually not supposed to be too heavy on the biotics, for example your little stunt of holding Stuart down with yours is actually an illegal move, lucky for you I don't think anyone else really noticed and I won't tell…" Julia whispered as she winked at Isabelle who chuckled.

"Well thanks so much…" Isabelle smiled as Julia opened the door to their room and walked in.

"And I think that Stuart was a little too distracted with all, ya know…" Julia turned as Isabelle walked through the door and pointed her hands to her friend's body. "_That, _to notice either." Isabelle howled with laughter at her friend's actions but just as she went to shut the door someone roughly pushed it opened it from the other side stopping her laughter. Stuart stormed in through the door closing it behind him leaving Isabelle stood, in slight shock at his entrance, next to it staring at him. Julia awkwardly looked between the two before speaking.

"Well this has been pleasant but I should probably get going, you know, just my room and all that, but I don't mind…" She walked towards the doorway. "I only live here, all my stuffs here but don't worry about it… I wonder what Stark's up to…" She opened the door. "Have fun kids!" She called back as she left the room. Isabelle moved her gaze from looking at Stuart to across the room her body followed the movement as she walked over to beside her bed she let a sigh escape her lips.

"I know we should probably talk about what happened today, it wasn't fair and I'm sorry…" She turned to look at him finally locking her eyes with his but his deep blue gems had a look in them that Isabelle had only ever seen once before, the night they met, just after their first kiss, it was the look of lust. "Stu-" Before she could say another word he had crossed the room in a two long strides and had grabbed hold of her, his lips moving to her own. The sheer force of the swift movement from him lifted Isabelle into the air, it was only from her locking her legs around his waist that made her stay there as one of his hands slipped down her thigh and rested on her buttocks while the other moved to the back of her head holding her in place. He pushed his body against hers as they hit the wall Isabelle deepened the kiss moving her arms around Stuart's neck one hand slipping round the back of his head sliding through his short hair, they pulled away from each other only for Stuart to swiftly start kissing down Isabelle's neck.

"Oh… Stu…" She whispered breathlessly her legs squeezing around his waist tighter as she felt herself getting hotter the blood rushing through her veins at what felt like a hundred miles a second. Stuart pulled away from Isabelle's neck only to throw her down on to the bed quickly climbing on top of her, as she pulled him into another deep embrace she felt how excited he was against her thigh she couldn't help but smirk a little as she briefly pulled away from kissing him only to move down to his neck her hands sneaking up his top her fingertips gently brushing against the tough skin of his body. Her fingers seeming to linger on the toned six pack that he had, her thumb brushing against his muscles as she gently pulled his top upwards. Before she managed to even get it past his shoulder blades however there was a sudden knock at the door, the person entered immediately.

"Isabelle? … Oh!" Major Daniels had come by to see her and had walked in just in time to see a practically topless Stuart on top of Isabelle; he swiftly went to close the door once more.

"Major! I uh-" Stuart stumbled, on his words and on the bed, tripping over his own arm and falling out of the bed and on to the floor, Isabelle quickly stood up and straightened herself out helping Stuart up and then saluting the Major.

"Major Daniels I'm sorry I wasn't expecting you!" Isabelle apologised as the Major looked back in once he assured himself it was safe to enter he came in the room as both Isabelle and Stuart stood to attention.

"At ease." Daniels mumbled and the pair of them dropped their arms. "I'm sorry if I was intruding I just needed to speak with you Private Smith…" He explained.

"You're not intruding at all sir, in fact I was just on my way out… I'll see you later Private Smith… Major." Stuart spoke as he went to leave the room.

"Actually Wilson it's probably better that you are here, it concerns both of you after all…" The Major looked between the pair as Stuart moved back next to Isabelle. "This isn't easy or comfortable for me to say…" The Major said with a sigh. "I've known Isabelle since she was a child, I see her like a member of the family, so this is a very awkward subject but…" He put his hand up to his forehead as Isabelle stared at him like he was mad. "You see the Alliance has rules about fraternization and although we're not _technically_ part of the Alliance and we haven't _really_ got any rules set down yet…" Daniels looked up at the two with a stern look, his gaze sitting on Isabelle for a while longer then needed as he nodded slightly and turned away from them. "We also do not look too fondly upon it." He stated turning back to look at them still with that same stern face.

"What about Jefferies and Hunt? They're an actual couple!" Isabelle blurted out, she couldn't help herself she couldn't help but get the feeling she was being treated differently once again.

"Jefferies and Hunt were a couple before they even came to this station! They're practically married!" The cracks in Daniels' stern demeanour were starting to show and Stuart threw a suspicious glare at him, he seemed to sense his suspicion as he sighed and ran his hands through his hair looking back to Isabelle.

"I'd hoped you'd go quietly about this Isabelle… Don't forget who brought you here, I didn't want to have to get your father involved…" Daniels threatened gaining an aggressive glare from Isabelle this time and just as the fiery Latina went to speak her mind Stuart's hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"There's no need for threats now Major, we'll break it off, we promise." He spoke for the first time since Daniels had announced the new rule and his words made Isabelle frown over to him now.

"Thank you Private Wilson, I'm glad at least _one_ of you has some sense." Daniels growled causing Isabelle's neck to crane around once more as she moved her glare back to him again.

"Good night Isabelle, Wilson."

"Good night Major." Stuart replied as Daniels left the room.

"Fuck you Major!" Isabelle growled out once the door had closed.

"I actually think it's for the best Isabelle." The glare moved again from the door back to Stuart.

"You were being serious with that shit? What the hell?" She growled.

"We need to stop doing this to ourselves Isabelle; you've been driving me crazy ever since I met you! I can't get you out of my head but every time I'm with you I can't find the words to say to you, all I want to do is kiss you, be with you!"

"Hey! You're the one who came in here all hot and bothered earlier remember! I was the one that wanted to talk!" She growled as he moved to stand in front of her.

"Yes but when I see you, when I look at your face with those lips and your goddamned eyes they just draw me in…" He sighed looking to the ground "I completely forget about everything, about why I'm mad or why we _can't_ be together… We're clearly not ready to reveal everything to each other yet; I'm not even damn sure if I ever will be ready." He sighed putting his hand to his forehead whereas Isabelle nearly collapsed under the weight of her heart dropping in her chest, was he saying what she thinks he was? He might not _ever_ want to be with her? She assumed what they had going on here was a bit of a game, they'd lead each other on for a while but eventually one of them would break and they'd tell each other they're stories and that would be it, happy families from there on but from what he was saying Stuart had other ideas. He looked up at her when she stayed silent for so long and his face dropped from a confused stressed look to a worried one as he suddenly moved towards her closing the gap between them.

"Oh no, don't give me those eyes, please Belle, don't cry…" He said holding out for her hands but she just pushed him away and turned away from him.

"Why do you care what _I_ do?" She hissed as she swallowed down the lump that was growing in her throat she looked at the wall she now faced.

"Belle… I'm sorry…" Stuart said she just shook her head.

"Just leave Wilson." She growled out before hearing him pause for a moment before leaving as soon as he left the room she dropped down on to her bed and cried. So much had happened today, she'd gone from up to down to up to down again, Earth has been attacked, she had to hang up on her father then her and Stuart seemed to be getting along now it seems they never will. She really liked Stuart she could even see herself falling in love with him but she knew now it wasn't meant to be, his words had hurt her and he didn't even seem fazed.

"Hey Stuart came back and seemed pretty pissed what hap- Izzy!" Julia entered the room once more to find Isabelle sat on the edge of her bed crying into her hands Isabelle tried to wipe her face and hide the fact that she was crying but it was too late and the moment she felt the contact of her friend putting her arm around her shoulders she just burst out once more.

"What the hell did that shithead say?" She growled gaining a laugh from Isabelle as she raised her head and wiped her face to tell Julia the whole story.

"That is strange, I've never heard of this place having _any_ rules let alone on for getting it on…" Julia said after Isabelle told her the story but when she saw her friend giving her a look that said 'is that really the only thing you got from that story?' she quickly rephrased her words.

"I mean obviously Stuart's a total, what is it you humans call mean guys? Dicks? Ha! Goddess, I love human swear words… Anyway he's a total dick! But I would look into that fraternization shit, I've never heard of it before… Maybe the Major's just doing it because he's close to your father? I don't know, but hey you need to get some sleep! I pulled some strings with some people I know upstairs and got you into our team tomorrow, we've been missing a fourth for a while now…" Julia explained it was one of the only things that managed to make Isabelle smile.

"Really? Thank you Jules!" She hugged her Asari friend before getting into her bed.


	6. Chapter 6

6.

Isabelle woke up the next day nearly an hour before she had to be up for breakfast so tried going down to eat early but not even the cook was awake yet so she decided to go through her long awaiting e-mails while she waited for him to wake up. There were a few from 'ENCRYPTED' which she'd learnt tends to be messages from Daniels or one of the other Majors. There were a few from friends back on the Citadel, even one from a friend back on Earth; dated a week ago that same friend probably wasn't even alive anymore. As the messages got newer the ones from her father started appearing, considering it's only been a day since she spoke to him he'd sent well over ten messages and then one at the top was another encrypted but it was dated today, just minutes ago… Isabelle frowned at the message and, after swiftly deleting all the others opened it up.

'Isabelle,

Contact me as soon as you get this.

Rosemary.'

Isabelle glanced around the mess hall after reading the message, once she had established she was alone she played around with her omni-tool getting up Rosemary's contact details and hailing her. It only took a few rings before she answered.

"Izzy… That was quick; I was half expecting not to hear from you for a week, I know how you are with your mail." Rosemary's slightly wrinkled face appeared on Isabelle's screen and she smiled at the woman she knew all too well.

"Rose! How are you? I miss you; you should come by the Sub more often." Isabelle smiled.

"I'd love to Izzy I really would, I've heard you've made quiet the impression over there with your skills." Rose smiled before happily sighing. "Ah but duty calls I'm afraid, I do have a fleet to run." Isabelle smiled at her friend nodding to her.

"Of course... So what is it you wanted to discuss?" Isabelle asked Rose glanced down with a sad sigh this time before moving her eyes back up to look at Isabelle through the screen.

"It's about your father Izzy…" She explained Isabelle opened her mouth to cut Rose off but she didn't let her. "I know, I know you don't want to talk about it, god, you sound just like him…" Rose tried to lighten the topic but Isabelle didn't smile. "Look Izzy, he's stressed about you, he's stressed about how he's left things with you and he's also stressing about what exactly you might be doing seeing as last you told him you were '_doing your part'_. He knows something suspicious is happening and if you leave this more than a week… Well I'm worried about what he'll start doing, he's already started talking about trying to track your extranet movements…" Silence again for a few moments Isabelle still made no sign of giving in. "Izzy if he hacks into your omni-tool and he looks through things… All I'm going to say it that I can't keep lying to him, if he asks me directly about you I'm telling him the truth, but I'm _sure_ he'd rather hear it from you…"

"Okay… Okay, I'll try to ring him as soon as I get the chance; you know when I'm not too busy kicking butt out here." Isabelle gave in with a smile to her friend Rose laughed a relieved kind of laugh as though she had been waiting for those words all her life.

"Thank you Isabelle…" Rose smiled just then Isabelle heard something behind her, remembering that she wasn't meant to be in a public place when hailing the Admirals she panicked slightly, glancing round to where she thought she'd heard the noise but she couldn't see anything. "You don't realise how much this will mean to him." Rose continued but Isabelle just carried on looking to the shadows, squinted trying to see but couldn't properly, so she decided it'd be best to end the call.

"Yeah I know…" Isabelle said looking back to her omni-tool.

"He's been dying to hear from you Izzy… What's wrong? Are you okay?" Rose questioned noting the worry on Isabelle's face as she glanced back over her shoulder.

"I'm fine, I think someone's here, I really should go now Rose, sorry to cut this short, but you know, duties and all that. Come by the ship soon though, I'd love to see you…" Isabelle rushed out glancing back to Rose.

"Oh right…" Rose sounded a little sad that this call hadn't been the catch up she'd clearly wanted but Isabelle couldn't risk it. "I will do, and thank you Isabelle, you always were like the daughter I never had… I love you."

"I love you too Rosie… Bye…" Isabelle smiled as she closed the call fiddling with her omni-tool a little more to shut it down before going for another quick glance over her shoulder only this time there was somebody there, she had to do a double take she was that shocked to find Stuart walking into the mess hall slowly looking down at his own omni-tool.

"Stuart!" Isabelle said suddenly standing out of her chair, her shock at his appearance clearly raised a suspicion as Stuart stopped and stared at her with his brow cocked.

"Isabelle?" He questioned.

"How- How long have you been there?" She asked suspiciously staring at him with a worried frown.

"I've… I've only just walked in… Why?" His brow furrowed more.

"So you didn't hear anything? See who I was talking to?" She questioned Stuart just shook his head.

"I didn't even realise you _were_ talking… _Why?"_ He asked but his answer had allowed Isabelle to let out a breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding.

"Oh it's nothing… No reason." She smiled before heading for the hallway again.

"Isabelle, weren't you in here to get some food?" He questioned suspiciously.

"Oh no I've uh, had something already." The noise of the cook entering the room cut her story short as Stuart looked suspiciously back at her, Isabelle glared over to the cook for his terrible timing before looking back to Stuart.

"I cooked it myself." She growled out before leaving the room.

After a long morning of Isabelle trying to get some food in her stomach without Stuart noticing, she mostly did this by making Julia her very own room service (which only sparked wise cracks from Julia) and getting her to bring food back to her room. Isabelle finally felt ready to face her day and not a moment too as, just after she put on her last piece of armour, Major Daniels knocked on the girls' door Julia opened it and instantly saluted him allowing him in the room. Isabelle stood from her bed but didn't salute the Major she'd decided she was not fond of Major Daniels and was not afraid to show it.

"At ease Sands, could I have a moment alone with Isabelle please? The shuttle for your mission is ready if you would head over there." The Major ordered Julia who hesitated for a moment looking between Isabelle and the Major before disappearing out the doorway, Daniels closed it behind her.

"Isabelle…" He turned to look at her.

"Daniels." She hissed back to him.

"I understand that you're eager to get yourself into the action Isabelle… But things can get hairy down there; since the Reapers hit Earth they have been sighted all over the galaxy our routine trips are even getting pretty tough."

"Why did you bring me here if you weren't expecting me to fight?" Isabelle snapped the Major looked up at her reproachfully. "Sir." She added for good measure.

"It's not that I don't expect you to fight Isabelle, I just don't think sending a fresh recruit on a mission that was designed with four of our more _experienced_ fighters in mind is a good idea." He growled.

"Now you just sound like my father. I'm going on this mission Daniels, you can't stop me." She snapped once again and the Major actually let out a defeated sigh.

"Unfortunately you're right… Your friend Sands seems to have some pretty powerful people who owe her favours." Isabelle smiled smugly at Daniels as he retreated back to the doorway he opened the door for her but as she went to walk out of it he grabbed her arm firmly.

"I'm not doing these things to upset you Isabelle or even to annoy you; I do them because I worry about you…" Just as he finished speaking Stark and Stuart walked up on the other side of the door suited in their armour looking in at the pair, the Major looked at them then back at Isabelle. "Just… _be careful_." He growled at her before letting go of her arm and walking out gaining two salutes from Stark and Stuart as he passed them.

"What was that about?" Stuart asked dropping his arm to his side staring suspiciously at the departing Majors back as Isabelle joined him and his Turian roommate.

"Nothing…" She growled glaring at the back of Daniels' head. "Let's go kill something." Isabelle growled walking on ahead of the other two.

"I agree with Smith on this one." Stark laughed out as the two men followed her towards the elevators.

Isabelle was still pretty grumpy about the Majors visit even when the four got into the shuttle and were on their way to their mission, she felt that it had put a downer on her first mission, she'd have normally been excited to finally see some action but now she was just worrying about what might happen to her, after all the other three had been here for months before she'd joined up they knew what they were going into they were used to it.

"Well from the briefing it sounds like we might actually get some action on this mission, I can't believe we didn't shoot a single round yesterday… Seriously I was so close to shooting one of those damn alien animal things just to see what would happen." Stark growled out as he studied a data pad with the mission brief on it.

"Stark! That's horrible." Julia growled out to him. "Isabelle, would you get that look off your face? You're a great fighter, you will be fine." She turned to her friend with a smile, Isabelle suddenly nodded her head realising that she needed to be in the game if she was even half hoping to get through this.

"Enemy has the advantage in this zone but we need that advantage back…" The voice of one of the Majors suddenly spoke over the shuttle's intercom. "Get in there and get it done." He growled as the door suddenly opened and the three jumped out, Isabelle took a second before jumping out herself studying the area through her helmet, the place looked like a run-down factory district, a lot of empty buildings and empty containers.

As the four of them reached a good vantage point Stuart pulled out his sniper rifle before making a movement with his hand for Stark and Julia to move down the stairwell they were on they moved quickly as Stuart then motioned for Isabelle to watch his back as there was a wide open alleyway to his right side that he could be blindsided by. Isabelle nodded turning to look down the alleyway she walked down it for a few moments searching all her corners and as the alley came to a left turn she heard Julia over the radio.

"Do they even know we're here?" Julia whispered out sarcastically as they hadn't bumped into anything yet either. Just as Isabelle looked to the left into the turn that the alley opened out into a strange gargling sort of scream came from her side and suddenly a husk ran straight towards her she jumped slightly before regaining herself and throwing a warp out to it as the husk exploded into blue flames falling on its back Isabelle retreated to a safe cover zone and peeked over the edge hearing gun shots coming from behind her she quickly realised that Julia and Stark had also found some trouble. She shot another husk down, with her M-96 Mattock which she had fallen in love with, and managed to biotically throw another so that it broke clean in two at the force of smashing into the building behind it.

"They definitely know we're here." Stark growled out once the fighting had calmed a little.

"You alright Belle?" Stuart spoke now, Isabelle nodded at first then after quickly realising he couldn't see her she spoke.

"Yeah, I'm fine, nothing here but a few husks."

"We're all good too boss." Julia came over sarcastically once more.

"Yeah, yeah cut the chatter and watch your ass Sands." Stuart growled as Isabelle heard a single powerful gunshot ring out and realised that Stuart must have shot something that was approaching Julia from behind. As she came to that conclusion she heard some shooting coming from closer now and she took a quick glance back over her cover finding a few more husks and some Cannibals this time. Isabelle took the husks down easily before starting on the Cannibals she ran from her cover to some more close by, being blocked from one of the cannibals by a pillar she took them down once more before hearing the same gurgling growl of a husk behind her, she span around see it running towards Stuart but just as it got close enough for Stuart to hear it Isabelle rushed forwards and threw her arm out feeling the familiar rushing flame sensation, the husk bust into blue flames falling down right in front of Stuart who was now turned looking at Isabelle.

"Cheers Angel." He mumbled over before turning back to help the other two once again as Isabelle turned to face more Cannibals pouring around the corner.

Not long after they came to another calm point and Isabelle heard a voice she didn't recognise over the radio.

"We got lucky; there are some important enemy personnel in your area." It was the Major that had contacted the team before in the shuttle.

"They're locations will be downloaded into your suits so you can have a visual marker for where they are." He explained.

"Take 'em out." He said not too soon as quickly after he said it the roar of a brute came out from the alleyway in front of Isabelle and when she felt the ground begin to rumble she knew what was happening.

"Brute!" She screamed out shooting down the husks that rushed around the corner first before setting her eyes on the massive Brute.

"Stark get over here, help Isabelle… Sands I've got your back!" Stark reluctantly left Julia in a fight with a couple of marauders and ran through some buildings to Isabelle who had managed to get the Brutes attention and lead it away from Stuart but she had thought she'd managed to trick it by running into one of the empty buildings but as she stopped throwing a warp out at it and started shooting back at it she realised it was readying itself to charge her, Isabelle tried to jump out of the way as it did but it's fist caught her throwing her in the other direction and taking her shields all the way down.

"Shields down!" Isabelle yelled out.

"STARK!" Stuart screamed over to his pal as Isabelle glanced over the cover she had managed to find to see the Brute was closing the gap between them quickly and now she was stuck in an enclosed space with it so Stuart couldn't even help her. As she hopelessly threw another warp over her cover and at the Brute there was an explosion on its back that sent it falling forwards. Stark had appeared behind it and was throwing grenades at it, he managed to take it down pretty easily staying out of its path and getting covering fire from Isabelle as it grunted and hit the floor Isabelle saluted Stark.

"First one is down, good job." The Major spoke.

"Thanks, get back to Jules…" Isabelle said before taking down a husk that was rushing up behind Stark, he nodded at Isabelle in thanks before running back into the buildings. Isabelle backed down the alleyway again and came out beside Stuart keeping her eyes on the alley but glancing over to Julia and Starks position quickly to get a grip of what was happening. Stark had managed to get back to Julia's side and none too soon as she was being overrun by Cannibals and had a Ravager on her side it's swarmer's demolishing Julia's shields.

"You alright Stu?" Isabelle asked throwing the odd warp down at the Ravager as help for Julia.

"Yeah," He said turning his cloak on as he went practically invisible for a few seconds before the ring of his sniper rifle came and he reappeared reloading it. "You?" Isabelle smiled at him for a second before answering.

"Yeah…" She mumbled out before catching a husk coming down the alleyway she was covering she was quick to kill it rushing back down the alley to find a few more Cannibals one of them being an important target.

"Last guy is on the field get it done." The Major said.

"Right!" Isabelle yelled out before firing off an entire thermal clip into the Cannibal, she managed to take it down pretty quickly continuing to deal with its friends.

"That's it! Good job!" The Major spoke again Isabelle dealt with the last few Cannibals before hearing a good awful scream come out from her alleyway she cringed as the scream seemed to scratch her ear drums.

"Damn what _was_ that?" She growled glancing around to find a glowing tall disgusting looking thing coming towards her.

"Banshee!" Julia screamed out suddenly appearing at the side of the Banshee in a biotic blur before running backwards from it.

"Isabelle!" Stuart screamed as he saw the Banshee's attention was on her, suddenly the Banshee started darting closer and closer to Isabelle who threw out a warp at it only to miss as it got in close Isabelle darted behind a large container as she heard Julia, Stark and Stuart shooting at the Banshee. Isabelle rushed out from behind the container and moved towards Julia shooting the Banshee as she did. They were whittling it down, it couldn't choose who to attack, Julia, Stark or Isabelle and finally as it made a jump for her Isabelle threw a warp hitting it in the stomach making it collapse to the ground with two final screams.

"Good job rookie!" Julia laughed out slapping her friends' armoured butt as they all approached Stuart's sniping position.

"You've made a major cut in their defences now; you've done your job there time to get back to the LZ… Shuttle's on its way…" The Major stated and as if they heard their cue the scream of a Banshee was suddenly heard it was only drowned out by the roar of a Brute.

"Get to a good position at the landing zone, we'll cover you!" Stark spoke out to Stuart who nodded swiftly before rushing back to the LZ. Julia was already off disappearing in a blur of blue and reappearing in front of a Marauder which she then blew into the sky with her shotgun. Isabelle turned to look down her alleyway taking out a few husks and Cannibals before the Brute came walking around the corner Isabelle shot at it getting its attention before backing towards the LZ as it brought more Cannibals and husks with it but just as she turned to run to the LZ a husk blindsided her and jumped on to her front Isabelle had to beat it to get it off her before throwing it on the floor and stomping on its head. Unfortunately the Cannibals and Brute had managed to catch up to her in that time and it wasn't long before the Cannibals whittled down what little shields she had left with their guns she grabbed the first cover she could see which was behind a large pillar.

"Shit, shit, shit." She whispered as she prayed her shields would recover before they got to her corner but as the first Cannibal got just a bit too close Isabelle had to break cover to throw a warp at it before shooting it down but the gunfire she got from breaking cover managed to graze through some of her armour cutting her arm.

"Shit!" She yelled her hand moving to her arm.

"Ten seconds till extraction! Get your asses to the Landing zone!" Stuart yelled over the comms, Isabelle looked over to where Julia and Stark had disappeared to only to see them finish taking down a Banshee before running back to the LZ and Isabelle was assuming the only reason she hadn't been attacked by the Brute yet was because Stuart was keeping its attention but that still left a few too many Cannibals to run past between her and the LZ.

"Five seconds! Dammit Isabelle get over here!" Stuart growled at her she took a deep breath in shooting out at a few more of the cannibals, by sheer luck managing to take one down, but that wasn't really enough. It would have to do though as Isabelle moved out of her cover throwing out a few biotic throws to stagger the cannibals running straight for the LZ she could see the shuttle moving in for the pick-up but just as she got close enough to it she got hit by a Ravagers shot she didn't even realise there was one around and she collapsed taking too much damage.

"Belle!" Stuart yelled out running over to her and picking her up before climbing into the shuttle Julia and Stark managed to take down the last of the enemies as they climbed into the shuttle too. Julia was quick to kneel beside Isabelle as Stuart pulled off his helmet he quickly opened his omni-tool and linked it to Isabelle's hard suit dispersing some medi-gel into it then he held her in his arms as he sat on the floor staring at her.

"Give it a minute…" He said as Julia went to speak then suddenly Isabelle shot up taking a deep breath in.

"Belle…" Stuart breathed out as she laid back into his arms for a moment removing her helmet.

"Thanks." She mumbled out as Julia helped her back to her feet and she sat down in the shuttle Stuart lifted himself into the seat opposite and after a few moments of silence he spoke.

"Well that went pretty damn well I think…" He smiled round the group Isabelle just cocked her eye brow at him. "You know, except all, _that_, bit." He laughed out Isabelle just smiled back at him as she pulled her hair out of the bun she'd had to put it in.

"Why is it I'm always getting knocked out when I'm around you?" She questioned gaining a laugh from him as he shook his head his eyes drifting down to her arm and when the joyful look on his face was replaced with a worried one she looked down to see the graze on her arm was showing.

"Oh…" She mumbled as she went to move her arm but Stuart moved over and held it in his hand looking at the cut.

"That looks painful Belle." He said worriedly.

"It's really not actually that bad, honestly…" Isabelle started.

"Oh you're first war wound!" Julia said excitedly as her and Stark also looked over at Isabelle's arm.

"That'll scar nicely. I've got loads of war scars, something to be proud of back on Palaven!" Stark said.

"Yeah well it's not something to be proud of where we're from… I think we'd best get you to the medical bay when we get back to the Sub." Stuart finally let go of her arm as Isabelle sat back in her seat.

"I don't need to go to the medical bay, honestly I feel fine-"

"Isabelle…" Stuart reproachfully spoke making Isabelle sigh in defeat.

"Fine, I'll go." She gave in.

The shuttle ride was pretty uneventful and they were docking back at the Sub within no time as Isabelle walked out of the shuttle hoping Stuart had forgotten about the med-clinic but when the four of them stepped into an elevator and he pressed a button two above the one they needed Isabelle knew he hadn't forgotten as he smirked over to her. Isabelle sighed and removed the piece of armour that was now destroyed, luckily it'd only effected the forearm plating she pulled it off and pulled up her shirt that was underneath it wincing as she pulled it over the large graze. As the elevator opened on the floor they needed Stark stopped Isabelle before she stepped out.

"Smith… Lemme take a look at that, I'm pretty good at fixing that sort of stuff." He explained holding out for the armour.

"Oh… Thanks Stark." She smiled handing him the piece of armour as her and Stuart got off the elevator.

"No problem, and it was nice working with you today, you're not so bad… For a rookie." He smirked taking a sideways glance at Julia who smirked back at him.

"See you later Iz." She then said as the doors closed leaving Isabelle stood with Stuart, she glanced over to him before looking down at her arm and sighing.

"Let's get this over with then." She whined turning and walking in the direction of the med-bay. As the pair entered the on-board doctor was quick to approach them a kind faced woman with grey pinned back hair and slight wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

"Hello Privates, what can I help you with?" She asked kindly.

"I got grazed on the field…" Isabelle said lifting her arm up.

"Grazed by a bullet." Stuart interjected Isabelle just threw him a glare.

"It's really nothing serious; it's not even really hurting." Isabelle said as the doctor looked carefully at her arm before moving her to a nearby bed and sitting her down.

"See she's put you on a bed, it's serious…" Stuart whispered at Isabelle as the doctor wandered off to find something.

"There's nowhere else for me to sit Stuart! It's not serious…" Isabelle whined looking down at her sore arm. As the doctor stood taking things out of her cabinets and playing on her omni-tool Isabelle started to find the silence a little awkward.

"So been up too much?" She asked Stuart looked around at her with a slight frown as though checking she was talking to him.

"Ur, not a lot no, training and working mostly… You?" He asked unsure.

"Nah same here really… Just training…" She let a moments silence pass again "Thanks for saving me earlier by the way." She smiled at him "I couldn't remember if I'd already thanked you."

"Any time Isabelle." He smiled back to her before turning back to the now approaching doctor.

"It doesn't look too bad…"

"Told you…" Isabelle whispered under her breath to Stuart.

"So I've got some gel you can put on there to make sure it doesn't get infected…" She said rubbing the gel on. "Then I'm just going to put some bandages around it to keep it from any further damage…" She then wrapped up Isabelle's arm breaking the bandage off and tightly securing it.

"And that should do it Private Smith." She smiled at her Isabelle nodded as she slipped off the bed with a smile.

"Thank you Doctor-" Just as Isabelle went to shake the doctor's hand someone rushing into the room caught all of their attention.

"Major! Are you okay!" The doctor rushed over to Major Daniels as he looked around the room.

"You- You said there was a Isabelle Smith hurt down here?" He said catching his breath.

"Daniels?" Isabelle said staring at him in shock.

"Isabelle thank god!" he said rushing over to her that was until he saw Stuart with her then he slowed to a halt in front of them.

"Yes it was nothing serious luckily, just a grazed arm, that _was_ stated in my report." The doctor broke the tension now with a curious tone probably wondering why a Major would rush all the way down to the med bay to check on a barely wounded Private.

"You called the Major here Doc?" Stuart spoke now the Doctor nodded.

"Yes I did, all injuries need to be reported just so we have a good record, and it is usual procedure." She smiled at Stuart who was now glaring at Daniels suspiciously.

"And is it usual _procedure_ for the Majors to come check up on a Private that's been hurt?" Stuart growled the question was aimed more at Daniels but the Doctor answered anyway.

"Well, ur, no…" She said her eyes darting from the Major to Stuart and back. "In fact I didn't even think any of the Majors read half of them but it's nice to know-"

"We don't." Daniels cut the Doctor who now threw him a little glare. "I had Isabelle's name flagged so that any reports on her come directly to me, especially any from the med-bay…"

"That's not really _procedure_ is it sir? Aren't you breaking the _rules_ by doing that?" Stuart growled at the Major both Isabelle and Daniels looked at him, Isabelle more out of shock at where all this confidence was coming from.

"It's not _procedure_ to have someone like Isabelle aboard… She is a special case and she is _my_ responsibility _Private._" He hissed back to Stuart who didn't back down.

"Don't you think she finds it a little creepy? Having a man who's easily ten years older than her constantly checking up on her?" Stuart was just getting insulting now and Isabelle could see things getting out of hand very quickly.

"I am right here guys I can speak for myself." Isabelle growled cutting both their attention short as they looked over to her.

"Of course Isabelle… Are you okay? What happened?" Daniels asked all at once.

"I'm fine… I was grazed by a bullet…"

"A bullet you say?" He said worriedly she rolled her eyes.

"_GRAZED_ I say!" She spat showing the bandage on her arm. "I'm fine… Right Doc?" She smiled over at the shocked looking doctor who probably hasn't seen this much action in her surgery since the Blitz.

"Yes Major, Private Smith is absolutely fine, I've cleaned it up and she can leave now." The doctor explained and Isabelle smiled back to Daniels.

"See? Fine." She stated going to leave but Daniels hand in front of her stopped her.

"Good, that's good… Could you give us a moment please doctor?" The Major spoke and behind him the doctor nodded before leaving the room then he turned back to Isabelle and Stuart.

"Just Isabelle…" He paused for a moment throwing a glare at Stuart. "Just know I keep an eye on you for your safety and I'm not sure about this team you've been hanging around with if they can't even stop you from getting a graze…" He growled out looking between her and Stuart, Isabelle heard Stuart move towards the Major behind her but quickly grabbed a hold of his hand behind her back to stop him doing anything stupid. It seemed to calm him as he didn't say or do anything but allow the Major to continue.

"I don't trust them Isabelle and I just want you _both_ to know that I _will_ be looking for every single way possible to get you out of their team, and doing some easier missions, without pissing off the Admirals…" He glared between the two of them before nodding swiftly. "Good day." He said leaving the room.

"I'm really growing tired of that man." Stuart growled as the doors closed behind the Major.

"You and me both." Isabelle sighed.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

A week working with Stuart, Julia and Stark just seemed to fly by and before Isabelle knew it they had all finished a week's worth of missions and were intending to celebrate. Isabelle's initiation as they had deemed it, which was just an evening of poker and alcohol. Julia was of course the one who had suggested it.

"Don't forget tonight guys!" Julia said to the two boys as the four of them climbed off the shuttle and moved towards the elevators.

"What's tonight again?" Stark asked as they waited for the elevator to arrive, when it did Major Daniels just happened to be standing inside of it the conversation came to an abrupt halt as the four looked at him, Stark and Julia saluted Isabelle was shocked to find Stuart didn't, Daniels just glared at them all before stepping off the elevator. Isabelle looked over to Stuart as they all got on the elevator only to see him sharing the same glare Daniels had just been giving.

"Good thing he didn't stay on this elevator huh? That would have been awkward eh Stu?" Isabelle laughed trying to joke with him but he didn't even smile.

"Yeah." Was all she got from him she frowned at his behaviour before Julia started speaking again.

"Tonight us four are playing poker remember? Rookies initiation!" She continued as though there had been no pause between.

"Oh yeah, course we'll be there right Wilson?" Stark nodded along as they all left the elevator heading for their rooms.

"You sure Major Daniels won't have a problem with you playing poker with a group like _us_ Isabelle?" Stuart growled out gaining him another confused look from Isabelle, even Julia looked over her shoulder at Isabelle for an explanation for that one but she just shrugged at her friend.

"Uh I'm sure he won't care Stuart, even if he does since when have we started caring about what Major Daniels thinks?" Isabelle laughed along with Julia but Stuart didn't smile again as they approached the two girls door.

"Right we'll see you later then, in your room yeah?" Julia asked.

"Sure." Stark said as he slowed slightly so they could finish their conversation before they got to the girls door, Stuart didn't slow down though he just carried on walking not even saying goodbye to the girls as he walked straight past their door.

"Right well, we'll see you later Stark." Isabelle said frowning at the back of Stu's head.

"Yeah and I'll uh, try and find out what's up with him. See you later." Stark said as he rushed off behind his friend and the two girls walked into their room.

"What was _that_ about? He's been fine about Daniels all week why's he getting so uptight now?" Julia questioned Isabelle as she shut their door and started removing her armour.

"No idea… I mean I think that's the first time we've seen Major Daniels since but that shouldn't be enough of a reason to act like that right?" She looked at Julia who just shook her head.

"Don't look at me, I find you humans weird enough as it is!" She chuckled.

"I got you some Turian brandy especially for tonight! So you better let me win a few games Starky!" Julia laughed out as Stark opened the door to the two girls letting them in.

"Cheers Julia, and I'll think about letting you win, I'm not one for giving up!" He laughed taking the brandy from Julia as Isabelle walked in the room, they had set up a table and chairs in the middle of their room and already had the cards and chips set out in fact Stuart was already sitting at the table.

"Well just as a warning Julia's been teaching me a few tricks to help with my poker face, so don't expect to beat me so easily this time alright?" Isabelle joked.

"Ha! She's been teaching you? You're probably even _worse_ now!" Stark joked gaining him a flirtatious slap on the arm from Julia.

"Actually I've taught her quite a bit of stuff, it's been fun playing with Isabelle's face all night!" Julia winked jokily at her pal her natural flirtatious nature coming out; Isabelle just stuck her tongue out at her.

"I'm sure Major Daniels wouldn't approve of that." Stuart broke the silence he'd held since the girls had entered only for his words to fill the whole room with an awkward silence as he dealt out the cards to the three empty seats. "Let's get this done then." He growled as the other three sat down.

The few games they managed to get through were set in an almost complete awkward silence as Isabelle felt she couldn't speak without Stuart shooting her down and the other two didn't want to accidently add to the tension so everyone just sat in silence. The only time they did speak was when one of them couldn't help but crack a joke about something but Stuart stayed quiet through all of it the only time he did speak he was quick to bring up Daniels again which in turn would kill the conversation back down to silence. Julia was the first to break it though being the outlandish girl she is being that quiet for that long must have been killing her so she suddenly blurted out.

"What's with the grudge against Major Daniels all of a sudden Wilson?" There was no answer at first as the shock of her just coming out with it settled Isabelle threw her a vicious glare. "What? It had to be said! I can't be quiet for that long without a damn good reason!" She growled to Isabelle.

"It really is a wonder how you passed any of the tests to join the Subversion team." Stark growled out also mad about her forcing the four of them into such an awkward situation. Isabelle felt her eyes tugging in the direction of Stuart and she slowly allowed them to move only to find that he was looking back at her.

"Maybe we should leave?" Stark said suddenly standing up and pulling Julia out of her chair too.

"What but I want to finish the game?" Julia whined.

"You should have thought of that before airing out their dirty laundry in public…" Stark growled Isabelle watched as the pair walked across the room.

"But… Wait… What?" Julia asked looking over to Stark as he pulled her from the room.

"It's a human saying…" He said as the door shut behind them. Isabelle looked round from the door back to Stuart who had silently stood up and was now facing away from Isabelle staring at his bed.

"Well…?" Isabelle questioned glaring at the back of his head relaxing into her chair but crossing her arms over her chest in an aggressive manner.

"I've had a grudge against Daniels ever since he caught us in your room that time… You're going to have to be a bit more specific-"

"I'm pretty sure Julia was talking about today, the last few hours in which you haven't said a sentence to me without Daniels' name being involved? What's all that about?" Isabelle growled at him.

"You heard him in the med bay, he doesn't like me he made that pretty damn clear, why aren't you questioning him about his grudge against me?" He growled Isabelle just rolled her eyes and stood out of her chair.

"That was a week ago Stuart, this has to be about more than that, we've spoken since that happened…" She stared at the back of his head in silence before dropping her crossed arms and turning away from him. "Fine if you don't want to tell me then I guess that I will see you tomorrow." She growled moving towards the door, she heard him sigh from behind her.

"Isabelle, it's complicated." She turned to look at him to find he had turned towards her now and had opened up his omni-tool.

"Stu… Is now really the time?" She frowned at him but he just shook his head.

"Daniels has… threatened me, told me to stay away from you or else he'll find a way to get me off this ship, catch me out." Isabelle frowned at Stuart's words as he closed the gap between them and showed her the message.

"And this is why you've been mad?" She questioned only half reading the words on the bright orange screen in front of her.

"Well yeah Belle, I mean I love my job, if I had to choose between it and you… I, I don't know what I'd do." He sighed closing his omni-tool and looking at Isabelle only to see her smiling back at him he frowned at her joyful expression.

"Stu… He's bluffing, he has nothing! Just ignore him; it's just like last week when he said he'd work out a way to separate me from our team! They're empty threats and we should just ignore them." Isabelle said with a slight chuckle but when she looked at Stuart's face she realised that wasn't what she should have done.

"Ignore him? That's your advice?" He growled out.

"Well yeah, what were you expecting Stu?"

"I at least thought you might go and speak to him; tell him to stop threatening people's jobs just because of his obsession with you!" Stu spat venom.

"He doesn't have an _'obsession'_ with me! You just need to see that he is just being pathetic! He's holding empty threats above you because of his status on the ship… Just _ignore_ him." Isabelle growled back moving slightly away from him.

"This is my _job_ we're talking about Isabelle! What if I do _just ignore him_ and it ends up getting me god damn fired? What then!" He frowned over to her but Isabelle just laughed again.

"He won't Stuart! He is bluffing! You need to stop taking everything so seriously!" She smiled but Stuart had no intention of returning it.

"You need to start taking serious things a little less like a care free teenager Isabelle!" Isabelle threw Stuart the dirtiest look she could muster.

"What?" She growled out.

"You heard me! You're too laid back about these things Isabelle, the man is clearly in love with you and is going to hurt everyone around you until he gets what he wants! Stop acting so childishly about the whole situation and sort it out!" Stuart's anger burst out as he practically screamed at Isabelle who just glared back at him with tears lining the lids of her eyes.

"Screw you Wilson!" She growled before storming out of the room and slamming the door on her way.

The next morning the four of them had another mission together Isabelle got some food and changed into her armour like any other day but today she avoided as much contact as she could with Stuart to the point of even sitting as close to the door in the Kodiak as she possibly could staring intently at the small display screen that was beside her head and nowhere inside the shuttle for fear of making eye contact with him. As they pulled up to their destination Isabelle pulled on her helmet and not a moment too soon as Stuart moved to stand beside her at the doorway as it opened she focused on what the surroundings outside the shuttle looked like so not to think about him. It was actually a Cerberus base that had been abandoned and the Alliance were now using it for resources into the splinter group, however it hadn't been properly scrubbed in some parts yet and there were still Cerberus troops fighting back the researchers which is where the N7 forces come in. The base looked as abandoned as it probably was as the four stepped off the shuttle and on to the pristine white floors of the landing pad. Some blood had been sprayed up one of the white walls that indicated where you were going, Isabelle cringed as they passed the owner of the blood a researcher lying dead. Stuart continued past the body coming to an excellent vantage point up a ladder he nodded for Julia to head out in front of him down the ladder where there seemed to be a lower communications area. He indicated for Stark to cover his left and back side and for Isabelle to go right into the building and to have a look around. As she came to the bottom of the first set of stairs only to find nothing but a few good cover points she turned left taking a complete U-turn to walk down the second set of stairs which led to the lower area that Julia had been searching just as Isabelle spotted her Asari friend she heard Stark on the radio.

"Troopers incoming!" He yelled and they started to hear gunfire, just as the girls were about to head over to Starks position a trooper appeared behind Julia going to hit her with his sword.

"Julia!" Isabelle yelled as her biotics suddenly flared up and she threw out a warp at the Cerberus agent staggering him just enough for Julia to spin on her heels and shoot him down as she fell back to Isabelle's position getting covering fire from Isabelle as well as shooting back at the five or six troopers that had now appeared.

"Centurion!" Isabelle yelled as she spotted the tougher armoured opponent she shot down his shields with her SMG before nodding at Julia who then built up a biotic charge and in a blur appeared in front of the man making him stagger backwards then, just as it looked bad for Jules as she was quickly surrounded by troopers she screamed out before punching the floor in an aggressive blue burst of energy and knocked down the four troopers and the centurion.

The girls managed to destroy all of the enemies that came their way and it didn't sound like it was going too badly for the boys either however things were just starting to heat up as they started sending in the guardians and, even worse, the Phantoms. One Phantom appeared in the doorway that the girls were covering and just as Julia went to charge at her Isabelle stopped her.

"It's a Phantom Jules she'll tear you apart, stay as far away from her as possible!" She told her friend who nodded and pulled out her pistol instead of her shotgun. The two girls managed to kill her off just in time as straight after they heard a loud thud and the entire floor shook, the sound of electronics starting up informed them that an Atlas had just appeared nearby, in the same doorway as the Phantom had just entered in fact.

"You girls alright? I can hear an Atlas." Stuart came over the radio as Julia shot over at the Atlas that was distracted by struggling to get in through the doorway.

"Yeah we got an Atlas here." Isabelle blurted out to him firing warps and shots over her cover before ducking back down as the Atlas shot a missile at the pair of them making their cover shake.

"I'd give you a hand but I can't get a good sighting, plus Stark is getting a little over run, three guardians and a Phantom, and a stupid amount of troopers." He explained.

"Don't worry, we got this… You just cover Starks ass! If he goes down I'm holding you responsible Wilson!" Julia yelled over the comms as the two girls fell back to a doorway for some better cover as they whittled down the Atlas. Suddenly the large robot shook let out a loud mechanical groan telling the girls it was about to blow so they took cover and just as it did they heard something terrible

"Damn it! Stark's gone down!" Stuart yelled over the radio Julia worriedly glanced over at Isabelle who nodded at her as they both jumped over the cover they had been using Isabelle shot at a few troopers who were looking their way getting one in the head as Julia disappeared in a blue blur the first chance she got appearing beside the downed Stark and taking out every enemy she set her eyes on. Isabelle rushed over herself kneeling beside Stark and opening her omni-tool.

"Come on Stark, get up!" She growled as she dispensed some medi-gel into his suit, meanwhile Stuart was watching their backs shooting any trooper that got close just as he saw Stark stumbling to his feet he noticed something suddenly appear behind Isabelle it was the same Phantom that had nearly got Stark, she'd gone invisible and now reappeared behind Isabelle.

"Belle watch your back it's a Phantom!" Stuart yelled his eyes darting over to Julia who was stuck in a fight herself. "Dammit Isabelle." He growled pulling out his missile launcher and shooting it in the direction of the Phantom who Isabelle had now turned to face just in time to see her pull out her sword as she went to swipe Isabelle though there was a massive explosion and she was gone, Isabelle looked over to Stuart who threw his missile launcher back over his shoulder she smiled at him though soon realised he wouldn't be able to see it and stopped. Then she saw an engineer setting up a turret right behind him.

"Watch your back Stu! You got a turret!" She yelled over the comms as she ran towards him shooting at the engineer who she managed to kill but not before he set up his turret which, with a whirr of electronics was soon up and running shooting towards the cover Stuart was now hiding behind. Isabelle managed to catch up to where Stuart was and took cover on the other side of the doorway to him the turret still focused on him. Unfortunately, while the other two focused on the incoming enemies on the landing pad, a guardian had managed to sneak up the left side of Isabelle and had blindsided her causing her to break cover as he shot her with a powerful pistol she stumbled backwards into the view of the unyielding turret which was quick to take aim to its new target and it began shooting at Isabelle demolishing her shields. Stuart thought fast throwing a sticky grenade at the already half destroyed turret which quickly caused it to explode but that still left the Guardian which was now on top of Isabelle who had fallen to the ground. Stuart growled as the man went to hit Isabelle with his gun before he grabbed hold of the Guardian's shield pulled it out in front of him and smashed the butt of his sniper rifle straight into the guys face a few times until the man fell to the floor. Stuart turned and helped Isabelle up she stared at him in shock as he pulled her up with a groan, she then noticed the wound on his stomach.

"Stu! You're bleeding." She gasped holding his side.

"Yeah well I was just punching a guy with armed with a pistol in the face; he got in a few shots." He joked Isabelle moved him so that his arm was over her shoulder.

"Shuttle extraction in ten seconds!" The voice of one of the Majors came over the comms. Isabelle helped Stuart over to the landing area as the other two helped with covering fire the shuttle was quick to arrive and Isabelle helped Stuart aboard as the other two jumped on too. Isabelle quickly pulled off her helmet discarding it to one side before also taking Stuarts off and placing her hands on each of his cheeks she pulled him into one of the most passionate kisses they'd ever shared.

"I told you they'd eventually get together! You owe me 5 credits Stark!" Julia laughed out after a few moments.


	8. Chapter 8

8.

"Sorry." Isabelle breathed out after she pulled away from the now very dumbfounded Stuart.

"Belle… I… What just happened…?" He questioned Isabelle couldn't help but let out a little chuckle.

"You just blew up a Phantom because it nearly killed me then blew up a turret for the same reason and if that wasn't enough you beat a Guardian to death with the butt of your gun and saved my life from it only to get yourself hurt in the process… I just wanted to show you how… grateful I am." She smiled at him he couldn't help but let out a boyish grin. "Now sit down, you really need to rest, let me look at you." She said sitting him down on the shuttle seats he was definitely bleeding just not as badly as Isabelle was making out that he was.

"It doesn't look too bad." Stark said examining the wound. "They'll patch you up in no time…" He did his best to smile at Stuart patting his shoulder.

"Oh I'll be fine, I doubt I'll even go see the Doctor-" Stuart started but before he could even finish his train of thought Isabelle cut him off.

"You're bleeding Stuart. You are going to the med bay and before you say it yes this is punishment for you making me go last week." She smirked and he couldn't help but laugh out.

"Fine, fine." He chuckled. Once they got to the Sub Isabelle instantly rushed Stuart to the med bay the doctor looked him over. Having to remove his chest armour and shirt in the process, Isabelle made sure she got a quick look before she turned away more out of courtesy to the doctor then Stuart. Once she was finished the doctor patched him up before confirming Stark's words.

"He isn't that bad…"

"Told you." Stuart smugly breathed out.

"However, he will have to lay off the fighting, just for tomorrow to let my medicine do its work!" She continued louder when she noted Stuart's mouth open to argue. "Would you rather die Private?" She questioned before Stuart gave a huff and she walked away.

"Don't worry I'll tell you everything you miss! It's only a day!" Isabelle laughed as she helped Stuart off the bed and back to his room.

The following day passed by pretty quickly the brass sent the team on a mission with a fourth heavy hitter so Isabelle took the back ranks sniping things with her pistol and throwing the odd warp for support, nobody was badly hurt and it turned out to be a pretty routine mission, get in, get our territory back and get out. Soon after Isabelle found herself heading for Stuart and Starks room, things had been flying through her mind all day and she had to get something out he needed to know. She tugged at the sleeves of her arms nervously as she hovered her balled fist in front of the door for a few seconds judging the butterflies that were in her stomach before giving in and raping her hand against the door twice. It took a few seconds longer then she would have liked for the door to finally open Isabelle even considered running away then but when the door opened and she heard Stuart's voice she realised she couldn't.

"Isabelle! Hey…" He smiled before opening the door out wide; he wasn't as hunched over as he had been the night before so he must have been feeling better.

"Hello." She said nervously throwing him a smile before looking around his room as though she'd never been in there before.

"So urm, where's Stark?" She asked as Stuart shut the door and moved over to his desk where he seemed to be putting some new gear on his rifle.

"Ur, dinner I think…" He frowned but didn't look at her. "Why?"

"Just wondering." She smiled at him he just nodded in recognition. "How you feeling today?"

"Great, much better actually the meds worked brilliantly. How was your mission? Stark said it was pretty routine."

"Yeah had some hard hitting solider on our team, he was a bit of a meat head though… Kept asking me about my guns." Stuart laughed nodding away at her reply.

"He was no me then?" He chuckled Isabelle shook her head.

"Oh no, definitely not you…" She said her words came out a bit more meaningful then she meant them to and when Stuart started to frown she quickly found a good spot on the wall to look at. After a few moments of silence passed she deemed it safe to look back at him.

"So, Stu… What's your favourite colour?" She casually asked moving to look at the clock on Stuart's bedside table, he laughed at the question glancing over to her.

"You're serious?" He questioned Isabelle looked back up with him with a serious look on her face.

"Yeah… I wanna know!" She chuckled out as she sat down on his bed facing him he just laughed shaking his head.

"Okay, it's green…" He said looking back to his rifle. "Like Emerald green…" He explained quietly a slight blush rising to his cheeks.

"Hmmm… Favourite pet?" She asked he laughed again.

"… Dog I guess, we used to have one back in New York when I was a kid, Baxter, he was the sweetest thing… He got taken to 'doggy heaven' when I was 9..." He stopped polishing his gun for a few seconds as he reminisced Isabelle smiled along with him as he remembered his old dog before he continued polishing his gun.

"How many kids do you want?" She asked he looked over to her for this one, no chuckle just a slightly suspicious glance before blushing and looking down at his gun but not doing anything to it.

"Two… A boy and a girl." He explained wiping his gun again but slower this time as he glanced over to her. "You?"

"How many siblings do you have?" She ignored his question gaining a sharp look from him before he answered hers.

"Three last I checked, two brothers and a sister." He smiled slightly remembering them.

"A girl amongst three boys? I bet she was doted on hand and foot?" Isabelle smiled making Stuart laugh and nod.

"Yeah, she was the youngest too, we all adored her, and Dad couldn't get enough of her a right Daddy's girl our Gracie was…" He sighed.

"Have you heard from any of them? Your parents?" Isabelle asked remembering the last images she saw of Earth being overrun by Reapers.

"I heard from Paul, my oldest brother, he was always a bit of a protector of the family, he said they escaped and managed to find Mum, but Dad… Dad didn't make it, he was killed fighting off a Husk to save mum." He tensed up holding his gun tighter then he should be.

"Stu… I'm so sorry… Why didn't you mention it?" Isabelle frowned sadly.

"It's not your burden." He shortly replied, Isabelle's eyes moved to the floor.

"What was your family like when you were growing up?" She asked he smiled.

"Mum was always doting on everyone, trying to be a cook, a nurse, a nanny, a handy man and an ear for all our problems all at once while Dad, well he was always away with work. He wasn't in the army or anything he was just the head of a massive cooperation and was always working away, got a lot of money out of it though. We had a beautiful house in New York just about fit us all in, Mum always seemed to have her hands full but you could always rely on her and once Paul was old enough to walk he was always helping, Harry, my youngest brother, was always the joker he's a comedian now… Was…"

"We'll still need people to make us laugh when all this is all over and we re-build, in fact we'll probably need it more." Isabelle smiled trying to reassure Stuart but he tensed up again at her words glaring at his gun.

"_If_ we re-build, there might not be anything to go back to soon Belle…" He growled out, Isabelle's eyes fell to the ground in front of her Stuart shook his head before looking over to her. "So what were all these questions about? Or were you just trying to make me cry?" He laughed slightly looking back down to his gun.

_This is it…_ Isabelle thought. _Here we go._ She stood up off of the bed and starting tugging at her sleeves again nervously staring at Stark's wardrobe.

"Well…" Her eyes fell to her feet as she willed herself to speak. "I wanted to know because…" She took in a deep breath trying to suffocate the butterflies in her stomach. "I wanted to know because I want to know you Stuart." She sighed out. "Yesterday you… I saw the same Stuart I met all those months ago, the Stuart I wanted to be with and I realised that you're still there, you're still you and all this work bullshit that's getting in the way it shouldn't matter cause you're still the man I want to be with. And that thinking made me realise that…" She looked up at the wardrobe again with a new confidence washing over her. "That I want you to know that my favourite colour is Ocean blue and that my favourite pet is also a dog, I even have a mechanical one on the Citadel, his name is Patches. I also want you to know that I, also, want two kids, one boy one girl, the boy being the older preferably, I like the idea of an older brother protecting his little sister." She turned to look at Stuart to find he had put his gun down and was looking at her listening intently.

"And I _need_ you to know that I think your family sound perfect and I would love to meet them one day if you would like me to, and that I'm so sad I won't be able to meet your father because he sounds like he was a wonderful man and…" Isabelle took the deep breath in for this one as the butterflies came rushing back and the confidence seemed to run out of her as she turned her back to Stuart again looking at one of the walls once more.

"And that I had a little sister too, her name was Abigail and I would love for you to meet her and my parents, my mum was from Spain, I don't know if you've ever met a fully Latino woman before but they are very eccentric, bubbly people and my mum might as well have been the Latina woman role model she was so stereotypical but… Unfortunately… my Mum and Sister passed away a few years ago, it's just me and my Dad now… My parents were wonderful together, my Dad used to be so laid back before the accident that he could cool Mum down at even the worst of times… And my sister, well my parents had only just had her a year before the accident but Abby was beautiful, a wonderful peaceful little thing." Isabelle paused feeling tears threatening the lids of her eyes as she focused on the corner of the room she heard Stuart move towards her but she spoke again to stop him.

"They died in a fire six months after my 18th birthday and just a week after my graduation from my Alliance training…" Isabelle took a deep breath holding it in along with the lump that was threatening at the back of her throat. "Somebody threw makeshift Molotov's through the two front windows, one in through the upstairs window and another through the downstairs, the front room upstairs belonged to my little sister… It was her screaming that woke us all up-" Isabelle's voice caught and she heard Stuart move toward her again but she held her hand out beside her to stop him.

"You need to hear this…" She whispered finding her voice.

"Isabelle it's okay I don't-"

"Just please…" She mumbled he stayed silent and she continued. "My Dad came to my room my mum went straight to my Sister but as she entered the room to pick my sister up the fire spread all around the room, me and Dad called for her but… She refused to run through the fire in case Abby got hurt…" Tears ran down Isabelle's face. "By this point of course Abby was already gone, her little lungs, couldn't take the smoke… but my Mother refused to see that she didn't leave and before she knew it she was surrounded by fire… My Dad begged her to leave with us he tried everything to get her to come but she was too stubborn." Isabelle sniffed wiping her cheeks. "Soon the fire spread to us and we, we had to leave it was consuming the entire house, we have to go out through the back door because the front had been blocked, someone had obviously called the Fire brigade because they were there by the time we got out of the house…" She paused shaking her head. "But they couldn't get the fire out for what felt like forever and when they finally did… It was too late." Isabelle breathed out a berated breath before wiping her face and starting again turning to Stuart now red faced and puffy eyed she didn't look at him though she stared at the floor.

"I went into action a week later and we were fighting a massive battle trying to take back some turf from Merc's and at one point a building beside me was blown up, it set alight instantly and as soon as I saw it I froze in fear. I couldn't move, Arsonphobia; fear of fire… I nearly killed the entire team because of it and after that I was never allowed to join the Alliance." She finally allowed her eyes to move up Stuart's body before resting on his face he stared at her with a concerned look on his face. "That's my reason for being here." Before she could say anything else Stuart closed the gap between them and pulled Isabelle into a gentle kiss his lips barely touching hers as he held her in his arms before he pulled away and wrapped his arms around her cuddling her.

"Thank you for telling me…" He whispered into the top of her head kissing it. "I'm so sorry Isabelle." He said again kissing her head Isabelle nestled into his chest. After a few minutes Stuart pulled her a little away from him so he could look her in the eyes.

"I really am so, so happy you told me but please Angel I will die a happy man if you never cry in front of me ever again… Seeing you in that much pain… It killed me." He smiled and Isabelle couldn't help but grin though happy tears quickly brimmed at her lids. "Oh no here they come again!" He said pulling her in for another hug.

"They're happy tears." She muffled into his chest.

"Happy tears? They're okay then." He smiled as he looked her in the eye again before he lent down and gently kissed her lips again.

"So a robotic dog huh?" He questioned she laughed and nodded.

"Yep, Patches." She chuckled Stuart returned the laugh and once it died down he sat himself and Isabelle down on his bed he looked at her very seriously before he spoke.

"Belle… I… I'm not ready to tell you my reason yet, I… I cannot bear the thought of it changing your opinion of me and never wanting to speak to me again…" He explained, Isabelle's eyes dropped to the floor sadly, she had slightly hoped he would tell her his story if he told her hers.

"It's okay." She mumbled half-heartedly.

"But… I'm on my way, I'm getting to the point where I think I can tell you so if you don't mind being a little more patient? Then I would love to start dating you Isabelle Trufello, you know… In secret cause Major Daniels will have both our heads if he finds out." Stuart explained Isabelle smiled at him.

"I'd love to secretly date you Stuart Wilson." She nodded at him with a grin but just as she went to stand up to leave Stuart pulled her into a passionate kiss she laughed into it as he pushed her back on to the bed.

"So what about Daniels?" Julia asked Isabelle once she came back to their room later that night after being interrupted by Stark coming back to his room only for him to be more embarrassed then Isabelle was.

"What _about_ Daniels?" Isabelle asked falling on to her bed with a happy sigh.

"Well what are you gonna do about him? He's made it pretty clear about fraternization he's also made it pretty clear what he's going to do to Stuart if he finds him even looking at you in the wrong way…" Julia did speak the truth.

"Well, I guess we'll just keep it quiet, I'll only tell you I'm sure he'll only tell Stark we'll make sure to keep a low profile in public… It'll be easy." Isabelle said with a smile but Julia shot her a smirk.

"I don't think it will, but hey, I always love a good Major-Private drama!" She chuckled as the two got ready to go to bed.


	9. Chapter 9

9.

**A/N:**_Thank you everyone for the reviews, favourites and follows it really helps the process to see you guys enjoying it and I cannot wait for your thoughts on the next few chapters! Thank you all so much! _

A month flew by pretty quickly it was a wonderful month for Isabelle, working alongside her best friend and her boyfriend as well as sneaking into his room a few nights a week for a healthy make out session. The month had been kind to her and Daniels had even seemed to be backing down, or at least she had gone a month without getting a threat from him. It all seemed a little too perfect which is why Isabelle panicked when she was told that Stuart was in the med bay, he and Stark had gone out on an emergency mission with two random people that evening. Most of the time the soldiers who are chosen for emergency's are just the first ones the senior staff get their eyes on after hearing the news, however this time, so Julia told it, Major Daniels stepped in and nominated Stuart for it. If he'd been hurt Isabelle was already planning which limb she was going to tear off first, she was shocked to find Stuart walking out of the med bay when she was just about to rush through the doors.

"Stu!" She said jumping into his arms he held her in a tight embrace however he did let out a groan and when she pulled away she noted the bandage around his head. "What happened? Are you okay? I thought the worst had happened!" She questioned still stood close to him with one hand on his cheek and the other gently resting on his neck, Stuart straightened himself as he glanced around the very public hall way they were stood in, people had to walk through it to get to the shuttle bay and to the training area so there were a fair few people scattered around and he took this moment to slip his hands off the small of her back and back to his sides.

"Belle…" He motioned to her hands taking one of them in his own she sighed slipping her hands off of him.

"I've just been told my boyfriend's been rushed to the med bay I think I should be allowed to comfort him a little." She growled but stepped away from him slightly, Stuart sighed and glanced around the area he spotted a quiet dark corridor which nobody really used and moved himself and Isabelle over to it.

"Are you okay?" She asked again as soon as she was sure they were sufficiently hidden allowing her hand to move back up to the bandage around his head lightly touching it before moving her hand back to his cheek looking at him with worry.

"I'm okay Belle, it was a head wound which is why I was rushed straight here they didn't want to take any chances, but it's nothing more than a scratch… I _promise."_ He emphasised when she gave him a suspicious look taking her face into his hands.

"Well good, I'd be terribly lonely without you…" She smiled he returned a chuckle before allowing himself to lean down and gently kiss her becoming slightly shocked when she kissed back quite enthusiastically instantly deepening the kiss with her tongue gently brushing against his lip. He wrapped his arms around her back resting his hands on the small of her back as she moved her hands to the back of his neck gently tickling it a little trick she had discovered last week that got Stuart very excited. He pulled away from her with a smile still holding her close to him.

"Oh so that's where this is going huh?" He laughed she nodded.

"Did I not mention I thought the worst had happened?" She said between kisses as she gently moved down his face and on to his neck.

"Well I guess I should nearly die every day then huh?" He said smacking her gently on the butt she let out a little girly moan before giggling and moving in to kiss him once more.

"Are you okay Miss?" Isabelle heard a voice she did not recognise coming from behind her she instantly pulled away from Stuart turning around to find a Turian staring at the pair of them Isabelle blushed a deep red as Stuart stepped forwards slightly.

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't realise you were with someone… Wait… were you two…?" He looked at their embarrassed faces. "Major Daniels said there wasn't to be any fraternization." He spoke.

"We weren't-" Stuart went to defend them but when he stepped closer to the Turian something twigged.

"Wait, aren't you two Wilson and Smith? The two who ended their scrap by kissing?" He eyed both of them separately before nodding to himself. "I think I better take you both to see Major Daniels."

"Don't you dare you weasley little brown-nosed c-"

"Stuart!" Isabelle grabbed his arm as Stuart stepped towards the Turian with a balled fist she was shocked at his sudden temper it was so unlike him. "Maybe it's best we just go." She growled Stuart glared over to her.

"You know what he'll do Belle! He'll have me fired!" He growled Isabelle shook her head realising that's why he had been so easy to upset over the subject.

"Don't worry, I have a plan." She whispered turning to the Turian. "We'll come to see the Major with you." She said as Stuart glared at her suspiciously.

When they arrived at Daniels' office his secretary mentioned that Isabelle and Stuart were there and he let them in almost instantly. The Turian walked through the doors first followed by Isabelle then Stuart. The room was practically covered from floor to ceiling in mahogany with only the briefest of gaps in which the silver metal of the space ship peeked through to remind you that you were still on a star ship and hadn't suddenly transported to an office building back on Earth somewhere.

"Isabelle, Wilson and…" He looked at the Turian who instantly saluted him and almost looked insulted when the others didn't.

"Private Wikuh sir, third regiment in-"

"Yes, yes I only needed your name Private." He looked back over to Isabelle. "And what brings you down here then?" He smiled smugly over to her but was disgusted when the Turian spoke again.

"Well sir, I brought these two straight to you because I caught Private Wilson and Private Smith fraternizing sir." He saluted again with no real reason this time.

"Kiss ass." Stuart growled quietly to him.

"You caught them Private?!" The Major said a little too excitedly.

"Yessir." Wikuh spoke again.

"You did indeed! You did the right thing in bringing them here Wikuh! Good job!" Daniels practically laughed out.

"Well Wilson, you seemed so confident before, what do you have to say for yourself now?! You might as well come out with it; they're probably going to be the last words you speak on this ship…" He growled lowly glaring at Stuart, Isabelle took this opportunity to step between the two of them before things got heated.

"Major Daniels I'd like to say something if I may?" She spoke looking at the Major who now looked back at her.

"Such manners from you Isabelle, something I don't think I've ever seen from you before… You may." He nodded and Isabelle couldn't help but allow a sly smile to rise to her lips.

"I'd just like to say that Private Wilson had no part in this." She started.

"What?" The Major growled out.

"Yeah what?!" Stuart whispered from behind her.

"I forced myself upon him, I pushed him into a corner and gave him no chance to escape, and all Private Wilson was trying to do was get away from me." Isabelle explained she heard Stuart move to speak but she stomped backwards on to his foot to silence him.

"You're telling me…" The Major started, walking around to the side of the table the three of them were on standing right beside Isabelle who did not move from staring dead ahead. "That you… A young, beautiful, woman of… what? 5"5? Managed to force yourself upon a man of at least 5"11? And _make_ him kiss you? A man you are known to have fraternized with before?"

"After the last time Private Wilson showed he was uninterested in upsetting the chain of command by risking his job by pursuing a relationship with me and since then I have been trying to win him back with no luck. I approached him straight after he left the Med-bay with a head wound, the Private was disoriented and wounded and I used that to my advantage." Isabelle explained she could tell the Major was glaring at her from her side.

"I don't believe you… Is this true Private Wikuh? Did you see this?!" He growled over to the Turian Isabelle turned her head to glare at him.

"Uh, I couldn't really say sir, from where I was standing I couldn't actually say what Private Wilson's reaction was because I couldn't see him."

"So you couldn't say for sure if we were fraternizing or if I was actually forcing myself upon Private Wilson?" Isabelle growled out.

"Uh, no, not really." He mumbled.

"Not a very reliable witness there Daniels." Isabelle spoke turning her head back to the front of the room the Major still stood at her side.

"Do you have anything to say about this Private Wilson?" He growled out Isabelle looked over her shoulder to where Stuart was stood behind her he glanced from the Major over to her. "Don't look at her boy I asked you the question! Do you have anything to add?!" Daniels growled Stuart reluctantly looked back at him.

"No." He spat out.

"No… What?" Isabelle finally looked at the Major in a vicious glare; she knew he was pushing Stuart's buttons on purpose.

"Sir." Stuart growled out through a grimace there was a lengthy pause this time as Daniels seemed to mull everything over before he moved back round to his side of the mahogany desk.

"Well, in that case we better discuss your punishment Isabelle, please sit down… You two may leave." He growled Isabelle sat down in the chair opposite Daniels' and Wikuh quickly left Stuart however did not move.

"I said leave Private." Daniels growled.

"I would like to stay Major." He growled back.

"Stu… Don't" Isabelle whispered.

"Point taken _Stu_ now leave…" The Major hissed standing out of his seat for the first ten seconds Stuart didn't move he balled his fists but when Isabelle touched his arm he relaxed glanced down to her and left.

"So you agree then, from now until when I deem necessary you are hereby suspended from action and when you do join the combat again you will not be in the team you are currently with to stop any… Temptation there may be." After three long hours of Isabelle just agreeing to everything the Major said he finally let her leave his office she nodded along with what he said.

"Yes sir." She growled as he showed her to his door, she went to leave but he caught her at the last second.

"Oh and Isabelle…?"

"Yes?"

"I want _daily_ task completion forms from you so that I know you are not falling behind on your work in your suspension, my secretary will give you your forms for this week… So I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of each other." He grinned a horrible creepy grin and Isabelle did her best to try to smile back but thought it may have turned out more like a sneer as she rushed out of the room and straight back to her room only to find everyone was in there waiting for her.

"He _suspended_ you?! For a kiss!?" Julia questioned after Isabelle told the four of them exactly what had happened.

"And you're not allowed to be on our team anymore because of _temptations?_ That man is a fucking joke!" Stuart growled out glaring at the wall.

"How did it take him three hours to say all that?" Stark asked probably the least upset about the news.

"He did drag it out, I even agreed to everything as soon as he said it… He'll give in soon enough and before you guys know it I'll be back in action." She smiled.

"Yeah just not with us." Julia piped in sadly.

"Don't look so sad Jules, he'll give in sooner or later, he has to!" Isabelle comforted her friend.

"Maybe…" Julia mumbled, Isabelle then looked over to Stuart the other two made some excuse and left the room once again, Isabelle was actually starting to feel quite bad for always kicking them two out of their rooms.

"This?! _This_ was your big plan!?" Stuart growled at her as soon as the door shut behind Julia. "You're suspended from duty, can't be a part of our team anymore and have to fill out these goddamn forms every day which means you have to see _him_ every damn day! This is bullshit!" Stuart growled throwing the daily task forms on to the floor.

"I'm sorry Stu but I knew if he thought we were together he would have punished us both, your punishment would have been a lot worse, you heard his threat 'the last words you say on this ship' I couldn't have you lose your job because of me and I knew he would go easier on me."

"Easier?! You call this _easier_?! He's punishing us both by doing this you know! I'll hardly get to see you and anytime I do I won't be able to touch you for fear his lackeys are watching!" He growled turning away from Isabelle she closed the gap between them and slipped her hand into his.

"He'll give up eventually Stuart and when he does the first thing I'll be doing is joining your squad again, you can't get rid of me that easily." She smiled Stuart turned to look at her and his scowl slowly broke into a small grin.

"Damn and I was trying so hard too." He smiled leaning in to kiss her but just before their lips got to meet there was a loud knock on the door the pair jumped apart from each other and the door swung open to reveal Major Daniels.

"Isabelle I just needed to go over-" He cut himself off when he saw Stuart.

"Private Wilson… What exactly are you doing in here?!" He growled Stuart glared back at him balling his fist and just as he opened his mouth to yell back to the Major Julia appeared in the doorway and cut him short.

"Wilson! You're here waiting for me great! I did just message you to let you know I'd be late…" As if on cue Stuart's omni-tool flashed to say he had a message. "Ah there's that now, I really needed to go over these manoeuvres with you… Maybe we should do it in your room? Get out of Smith and the Major's way?" Julia saved the day or at least that's how Isabelle saw it judging by Stuarts glare at Julia then the Major and then at Isabelle, he didn't think the same. He let out a low growl as he stormed out of the room stopping beside the Major.

"I know what you're doing _Major_ and I will stop it." He growled out.

"I'd like to see you try _Stu_…" The pair glared at each other for a few moments before Stuart left the room with Julia trailing behind.

A week passed by with Isabelle on suspension, the team had been assigned a very dull Krogan from what Julia said. Isabelle was gutted to be missing the action and was itching to get back to it; Major Daniels seemed to be able to sense this and only made it clear how long he was planning to keep her suspended for. The only good thing that came out of Isabelle having to spend so much time with Daniels is that she got to hear what was happening out there in the great wide world, so far Daniels had mostly just told her about himself, informing Isabelle that he was now the main superior power on the Subversion, not good news for Stuart. The Admirals had removed most other Majors from the Elite forces and put Daniels primarily in charge. Meaning he barely got to see her father, who Isabelle had still yet to speak to despite millions of missed calls and messages, so when Isabelle asked him about her dad he couldn't give her much.

"So how is my father doing?" She asked placing her tasks sheet down on his desk. "Have you managed to catch up to him yet?"

"What? Oh, no not yet, I'm sure he's fine I've seen Admiral Green about on the odd occasion and she always mentions him, she also always asks about you, is it a common thing for you to be so well known amongst the high ranked?" The Major said half distracted by his omni-tool.

"Well I am the daughter of an Admiral, Daniels…" She spoke he just nodded in agreement as he played around on the orange screen Isabelle frowned in wonder at the Major before sitting herself down in the chair opposite him, this got his attention as normally she was in and out as quickly as she could be.

"What's happening out there Major? What's the state of Earth?" She questioned this was enough to peak his interested and he finally minimised his onmi-tool.

"I am not your father Isabelle… I know I shouldn't tell you things that are on a need to know basis…" He growled looking down to some paper work moving his hand to look at it.

"Oh come on…" She looked to the paper work then back to him reaching her hand over the desk to touch his. "Please…?" She asked in her sweetest voice, Daniels' eyes shot to her hand when he felt its touch then slowly up to her face with a slightly shocked look after a few moments he gave in.

"Fine, but you must not repeat it to anyone…" She smiled taking her hand back and leaning closer to him. "Earth, Earth's bad Isabelle, there are survivors and they're meeting up, forming a rebellion, the ones that can fight are but I'm not sure how long they'll last at this rate… People are dying every day…" He said as Isabelle looked at him sadly.

"And Shepard? What's she doing?" Isabelle questioned Daniels shook his head.

"Not a whole lot to be honest… As soon as she got out of the Sol rely she went straight for the Council but she got stone walled by them, they want to save their own damn skin and if that means they lose Earth so be it… They're using us as damn cannon fodder!" He growled punching his fist into the table Isabelle stared at him in shock. "But apparently there is a plan, some big idea to get the Turians and the Krogan in an alliance! Crock of shit if you ask me, we might as well give up now!" He explained Isabelle nodded before standing up.

"Thank you for telling me Major, I'd better get back to my room." She said leaving the room.

Isabelle couldn't believe her ears at what she'd heard, the council using Earth as cannon fodder, you can bet if it was one of their planets that had been hit first Shepard would be the first there to help they could at least return the courtesy. All her thoughts of Earth and Shepard were washed away however when she opened her door to find Stuart in her room waiting for her still in his armour.

"Hello you…" She smiled walking up and kissing him he returned the smile as she pulled away.

"Hey Belle, I just wanted to come say hello after my mission, where have you been?" He asked Isabelle walked over to her desk while he was talking and started busying herself with random things when she heard the question, for the entire week any time anyone had brought up Daniels Stuart had bitten their head off so she decided to skirt around it.

"Just dropping off some paper work… How was your mission?" She smiled turning back to him.

"It was fine… Dropping paperwork off to _him_?" Isabelle didn't answer she just dropped her head down and avoided Stuart's gaze when she heard him sigh she knew she was in for a yelling.

"I don't know if I can do this Isabelle! That man is constantly in the way! All this week if you haven't been off with him or he hasn't been here you've been _talking_ about him! We can't get away from him, anytime we're alone he seems to know and come to see you! Hell I wouldn't be surprised if he burst in on us right now!" He growled pointing at the door.

"I have to go see him Stuart, if I don't he'll only get worse, he's the only person I get to talk to all day so obviously I'm going to talk about him and yes I admit he does seem to be bothering me a lot but you just have to stick through this Stu, he'll get bored eventually!" Isabelle said.

"You keep saying that Isabelle and yet I don't feel any more assured… We need a plan! We need to get him away from you!" Stuart growled walking towards the door.

"There's nothing we _can_ do Stuart!" Isabelle frowned in a concerned way at him as he shook his head.

"There's something I'm going to do!" He growled reaching for the door before he looked at Isabelle's worried face and let a reassuring smile come to his lips. "I'll be okay; don't worry my little English Belle…" He walked over kissed her gently on the lips and then left.


	10. Chapter 10

10.

Rosemary Green was sat in her private living quarters aboard her ship finishing up one of the strangest calls she'd ever had in her entire life she sighed and ran her fingers through her hair before looking back up to the man's face on the orange lit screen of her omni-tool.

"I know what to do, I had hoped it wouldn't come to this but clearly I have no choice. I will contact you again soon." She said shortly before shutting off her tool she sighed again sitting forwards in her chair covering her face with her hands before leaning back brushing her hair back out of her face again and heading to the door of her quarters. Her room was on the same floor as the crews quarters a design she had demanded for herself, she didn't want them to feel like they were any lower than her, they are soldiers just like she always has been rank isn't much but a title on Rosemary's ship, it was the reason most of her staff have been with her for ten years. As she climbed the stairs she rounded a corner and passed a large window she glanced out of it at the semi-built structure outside her window, 'the Crucible' she was one of the few Admirals left after the Arcturus Station was hit, and all the ones who were left had been put in charge of defending the Crucible at all costs she just hoped it deserved all the effort Admiral Hackett was putting into it. She walked into the main hub of the ship the large CIC was encased in a semi-circle which at the tip of it held her pilot, Rodriguez and her Yeomen Leandra who often flittered about around Rodriguez everyone could see how much she adored him, everyone but him it would seem.

"Admiral." Leandra said saluting Rosemary who smiled at her.

"At ease Yeomen." Rosemary said allowing her personal assistant and crew shrink's arm to drop to her side.

"Pull up beside the Johannesburg; I need to see an Admiral about his daughter." She said to Rodriguez who nodded. "And prepare a shuttle for when I get back, the Admiral and I are going to be going for a little trip…"

"Yes ma'am." He drifted towards the Johannesburg then executed the docking tube the Admiral being confirmed to board almost instantly.

"I'll be back soon try not to crash my baby while I'm gone." Rosemary smiled to Rodriguez who laughed.

"I'll try my hardest ma'am." He mocked. As soon as the pressure established itself and the Johannesburg's docking bay doors opened Rosemary was slightly surprised to find Major Wilkes stood in front of them instead of the Admiral.

"Admiral Green I'm so glad you're here…" The Major said saluting her.

"At ease Wilkes where's your Admiral?" She asked in confusion as she walked straight on board and down towards the stairs to get to the other decks.

"In his quarter's ma'am, nobody's seen him for a full day now…" The Major explained Rosemary tutted at him.

"And you didn't think to tell anybody Wilkes?!" She growled Major Wilkes didn't answer with his words but rather with his guilty look. "He told you not to… Of course he did. I'll sort this out Wilkes he'll be down in no time, you just… Reassure your crew." She whispered to him before heading up the few steps there were to get to the Captain's quarters. Rosemary lightly tapped on the door of his room.

"Max…? It's me, its Rosemary…" She spoke lightly before she heard a rustle and then a voice.

"Uh, come, come in…" He groggily called through she entered the room to find it was pitch black and smelt slightly of unwashed bodies.

"Lights on please ship VI…" Rosemary spoke and the room suddenly washed over in colour that was when Rosemary's eyes landed on Max Trufello leant over several scattered data pads, a large screen resting on his desk and his omni-tool open all of them had words scrolling past his face.

"Nearly two months…" He grumbled out when she got close enough.

"Oh Max…" Rose whispered out to him sitting down on the seat beside him.

"Two months I haven't spoken to my daughter…" He eyes steamed up. "She could be dead for all I know!" He growled out closing his omni-tool.

"Max please this is ridiculous, you're scaring your crew, you're supposed to be an Admiral Max… Please don't lose yourself in this." She tried to assure him.

"It doesn't matter Rosemary… If something's happened to my little girl… What matters anymore?" He sighed hiding his face in his hands.

"Max…" Rosemary started but he cut her short.

"She's ignored my calls my messages, I have no way to track her down everything on Isabelle Trufello, that I didn't already know, is very clean and her omni-tool has been blocked so not even I can hack it…" He sighed again Rosemary frowned a little at that news. "I just want to know she's okay Rose, know she's alive and where she is…" He grumbled into his hands Rose stood up now the pang of guilt in her stomach killing her.

"Well…" She said in a slightly too obvious voice as she turned her back to him and when she heard Max's position shift she knew he was now looking at her she glanced back towards him with a guilty look on her face and Max frowned in anger and shock.

"You… You know? You know where she is?!" He asked Rosemary guiltily nodded. "H-How? Did she tell you? Is she okay?" He asked Rosemary nodded moving to sit back down with him holding on to his hands.

"She's fine Max, in fact she's the best I've ever seen her since… Well… the accident." She smiled he briefly did too. "But she didn't exactly tell me… There's a lot you need to take in here and I haven't got clearance from the big-wigs to be telling you this but, you need to know." And so Rosemary explained the 'N7 special op teams' as they'd been nicknamed and the Subversion and even how it was all an Alliance secret group to help the war effort. Max stood up as he took it all in running his hand through his hair.

"And you knew about it the whole time?" He asked Rosemary nodded. "And Isabelle is on this ship?" Rosemary nodded again. "And she's, she's okay?" Rose smiled.

"She loves it from what I've heard." Rose explained Max laughed.

"Of course she does…" He said looking away thinking on what to do next, Rosemary's head dropped so she was looking to the floor as she worked out how to word what she needed to say next.

"Only…" Max looked straight back over to her in such a head turn that she was surprised his neck didn't snap off. "There are some issues…" She explained.

"Issues? What kind? To do with her phobia? Oh god she didn't freeze up did she?!" He asked almost all at once Rosemary shook her head.

"Nothing like that Max…" She said and he slightly calmed. "The thing is she… uh… Met someone, a man…" Max frowned at Rose.

"Oh right…" He said as his eyes dropped to the floor.

"He's a lovely man Max, I remember him from when he was in the Alliance, he left on some pretty suspicious circumstances but he's not all that bad at all…" She quickly defended him, Max frowned.

"How is this issue one that I need to be aware of?" Max questioned.

"Well… The commanding officer aboard the Subversion is Major Daniels…" Rose watched as Max frowned again. "He has told Isabelle and Stuart, the man she met, that they cannot be together because of fraternization rules…" Rose explained Max nodded.

"Right, I still don't see the issue?" He asked.

"Well the issue is that there is no such thing as fraternization rules for the special op forces because there are no rules for them full stop, they're not even meant to exist you can't govern what a group like that can and can't do, especially not telling them who they can and can't be with." She explained Max's face dropped as he realised the problem.

"Oh bloody hell, that little weasel! Is he doing it on purpose?!" Max asked Rose nodded.

"From what I was told Daniels has come down hard on the pair, to the point where he's suspended Izzy from combat and banned them from working in the same team together." Rosemary explained Max shook his head.

"How on earth has he got away with a suspension from combat over fraternization?!" He questioned.

"He's in charge there now Max and clearly he's good at covering his tracks, it looks like he's been hiding Isabelle from you for nine months now!" She explained motioning towards the data pads.

"Of course!" Max said as he realised himself. "That little shit! … I need to go there Rose, see them myself." Rose nodded

"I've already prepared a shuttle back on my ship." She smiled Max returned it with a slight chuckle.

"Of course you have." He said.

The trip was a fairly long one a few hours at the least but the two Admirals didn't mind they did have a lot to discuss after all however when they started to approach the massive space station the shuttle pilot called Rosemary over as the stations command centre was hailing the little shuttle Rose pressed a few buttons and a screen quickly popped up.

"Kodiak shuttle you seem to be making your way to our shuttle bay, please state your name and credentials as otherwise you will be shot down, this is a military station." The communications woman said.

"This is Admiral Rosemary Green requesting permission to board the Subversion." Rose said.

"One moment please." The woman held her hand to her ear as she dialled her ear piece in to Major Daniels. "Major Daniels wishes to know why you are giving this visit Admiral." The woman asked Rose frowned slightly shocked that Daniels was questioning her.

"You can tell Major Daniels that this is a surprise inspection from one of his _commanding_ officers." Rosemary growled out the woman spoke through her ear piece once more before quickly opening the large bay doors.

"Request granted Admiral Green, the Major asks that when you have finished your inspection you go to his office on the fourth floor." The woman said before the screen closed itself down and Rose moved back into the seated area of the shuttle to find Max was already stood waiting.

"Oh this certainly will be a surprise." Max growled as the shuttle shuddered into place in the bay. The pair stepped out, Max taking a little longer then Rosemary to reach the elevator as he took in the vastness of the ships hanger.

"This place is…" He mumbled as the elevator doors jolted open and two Turians, a Quarian and a Krogan climbed out. "And this was all done in secret?" he asked in shock Rose laughed slightly and nodded.

"Do the other species know about this place?" He asked as they climbed into the elevator.

"Most of them, but again it's only on a need to know basis, however we didn't want other species coming aboard without their government knowing they were there." She explained punching in the button they needed. As they came to their floor and the doors shuddered open again Rose could tell that the anger had risen up in Max once more as he now took a much faster and more aggressive walk outwards. Rosemary led him to the room she knew that Daniels had deemed his 'office' something that not even Admirals have in their fleets, their 'offices' are their living quarters but that wasn't the case for Daniels. As the pair walked around another corner heading for his room something down the end of the corridor they were on caught Max's eye, it was Daniels who had also seen Max.

"You!" Max growled as Daniels came to an abrupt halt on his way to his office he dropped his papers as he suddenly turned and went to run away behind him but Max had already set off running at the man as soon as he dropped his papers.

"Max!" Rosemary yelled as Max caught up to Daniels he grabbed the back of the Majors clothes.

"Admiral Trufello what a pleasure to see you sir-" But Max didn't let the Major finish as he lifted him by his jacket and span round throwing the Major back down the hallway to where Rose was catching up to them she helped the Major up.

"Trufello what are you doing?!" Daniels growled as he stood back up but not for long as the slightly out of breath older man now got the Major by his collar and lifted him into the air holding him against the wall.

"WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER YOU PIECE OF SHIT!?" He yelled inches away from the Major's face.

"I-I have no idea-"

"Dad?" Isabelle was stood a little way down the hallway staring as her father held Daniels up against a wall she was holding her daily task completion form in her hand as she worriedly stared at the situation.

"Isabelle…" Her father mumbled out dropping the Major who fell to the floor again.

"What in the world is going on here?!" Isabelle asked worriedly frowning at her father and Rose.

"It's okay Belle… I asked them to come." Stuart came out from behind Isabelle she turned to look at him.

"You- You asked my father to come? I didn't think you knew who he was." She frowned Stuart smiled at her as he put his hand on her cheek.

"I saw you talking on your omni-tool to Admiral Green that morning in the mess hall, after that it wasn't that hard to look up your father." He explained Isabelle smiled slightly at him when he turned to the Admirals letting his hand drop to his side. "I did just call Admiral Green though I half expected her to bring your father… Thank you Admiral, for taking me seriously." He addressed Rose now who shook her head.

"Isabelle is like a daughter to me, I should be thanking you for informing me about her endangerment." She smiled Isabelle couldn't help but smile at her as her eyes landed back on her dad who still looked shocked to see her.

"Dad I-" She started but Rose stopped her.

"I think we should sort things out before we start this conversation Isabelle…" She said Isabelle nodded at her. "We called some army buddies on our way over here… Ah just in time…" Rose said just as six armoured soldiers walked round the corner.

"In there… Look through everything; I'll question this piece of shit." Isabelle's dad pointed to Daniels' room as the six men walked in and started ransacking it her father lifted the Major and took him into the room sitting him down on one of the chairs.

"Major Daniels…" Isabelle's dad started as Isabelle, Stuart and Rose all stood in front of the two men, Isabelle's dad leant down beside Daniels' face to look at him. "What the hell where you thinking? Kidnapping my daughter-"

"She came willingly; in fact she practically lied to get here…" He growled back Isabelle stepped towards him with a glare.

"You never out and out said anything so I never denied anything, isn't that how you wanted it Major?" She growled the Major smirked at her.

"I knew your father wasn't abusing you Isabelle he adored the ground you walked on, I just had to get you away from him, he'd never let us be together and I knew my best bet was to offer you a place where you could have exactly what you wanted then maybe you'd see me, see I've been here all along waiting for you…" Isabelle sneered at his words.

"I always thought you wanted us together Dad?" Isabelle asked her father shook his head.

"I did at first, but not long after his promotion to Major, Daniels here was taken to court for stalking his ex-girlfriend, to the point where she had to go into witness protection… The brass overlooked it because he'd been such a great solider, but it's the reason why he's never surpassed Major. After that I didn't want him anywhere near you, hardly mentioned you to him, it was hard enough leaving you with him that night you left, but I figured it was so long in the past." Her father explained.

"It was because of your constant talk of me and Isabelle being together that made me realise how much I needed her." He smugly looked in Isabelle's direction she just sneered again.

"And the name change? Was that so her father couldn't track her?" Rosemary asked the Major smiled at her.

"You always were so very clever Rosemary; I knew if he even thought she was on this ship he would be here in the hour to get her back, I couldn't have that… And I knew Isabelle wouldn't be able to keep lying to him so I changed her name, blocked her omni-tool and erased everything that even associated her with this ship." He explained her father shook his head.

"You sick twisted cu-" Isabelle's father was cut off by a loud crash coming from behind Daniels' desk the soldiers had found something and were crashing their way through to it as they ripped a large part of the wall out showing it was made of nothing more than polystyrene they found a hidden compartment inside it.

"Uh, sir, you're probably going to want to see this…" One of the men said as they all backed off, Isabelle and her father approached it with Stuart and Rosemary behind them. There was a large cubby hole carved out of the back of the room it stretched from the ceiling to the floor and covering half way up the wall were photos of Isabelle and above that was a large childish painting of her.

"What… What is this?!" She asked as she knelt down to look at the photos of her he had plastered to the wall, a few of them were even from when she was younger, one of her with Patches, one of them from the day of her graduation, another of her just out shopping, nearly all of them were candid shots taken from far away without Isabelle's knowledge. On the floor there were random items of hers, a lost bracelet and ring she'd had years ago, a receipt with some gum she'd thrown away, even a pair of her underwear she thought she'd lost in the wash but it was the thing in the centre of all this that made Isabelle's throat catch and tears come to her eyes she reached down and picked up the brown lock of hair that was resting on a pink pillow in the middle of the cubby hole.

"Is… Is this m-my _hair_?" She asked her voice breaking on the word hair.

"Remember that night I stayed at your house while your father went to Luna base?" She could tell he was smirking even though she couldn't see him.

"But… Patches was-" She whispered.

"He's a robotic dog Isabelle, he was easy to disable."

"YOU BASTARD! YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE PROTECTING HER!" Rose and one of the soldiers grabbed hold of Isabelle's father as he went for the Major who just sat in the chair smirking at them all that was until he noticed Stuart's quick movements over to him. His face slipped from a smile to fear just in time for Stuart to land a punch directly into his nose shattering it, the Major yelled out in pain as Stuart smirked.

"I've been waiting nine months to do that!" Stuart growled.

"Get him out of here!" Isabelle's father, who had calmed down when he saw Stuart's cracking punch, demanded as the six men took Daniels away. Isabelle sat beside the shrine that Daniels had made still holding the lock of hair and her own hair in her hands sadly comparing it to her locks hoping it wasn't hers as she wiped the tears off her cheeks as best she could.

"Let's cover this back up…" Rosemary said placing one of the larger bits of fake wall over the hole. Isabelle's father then moved to his daughters side lifting her out of her seated position and into a cuddle with him she hid her face in his shoulder as she tightly held on to her lock of hair.

"My hair… That sick bastard…" She whispered into him.

"I know sweetie, I know…" Her father stroked the back of her head. "You're going to be back safe and sound on the Citadel soon baby, don't worry…" This caused Isabelle to pull back.

"What?" She asked wiping her face once more.

"Well you can't expect me to let you stay here Izzy, look what happened when you were away from me…" He said Isabelle shook her head.

"Maybe we should leave you two alone…" Rosemary said going to take Stuart out of the room.

"No…" Stuart said suddenly stepping in front of Isabelle between her and her father. Isabelle's father glared into the tanned New Yorkian's face.

"Is there a problem Private?" He growled Stuart paused for a moment to think.

"Admiral Trufello… I would like to ask your permission for your daughters hand in marriage?"

"What?!" Isabelle's father asked shocked.

"Yeah, what?!" Isabelle growled herself stepping to the side of Stuart and her father.

"If this is the only way to convince your Father to let you stay then I am happy to do it…" He explained Isabelle smiled at him shaking her head.

"Stuart, I am flattered and under any other kind of circumstances I would struggle to refuse but I refuse to marry you just to escape my father." She said then turned to her other side. "Dad, I've been on this ship fighting with these people for nine months with _no_ incidents… Hell the only reason you even had to find out about it is because your former protégé went crazy, it had nothing to do with my fighting ability or my phobia… I am fine here Dad and I would prefer if you let me stay." She explained as maturely as she could. Her father took a long minute to look between her, then Stu and finally his eyes landed on Rose who gave him a proud smirk and shook her head.

"Don't try getting my support in this one, I support Izzy." She smiled Isabelle smiled back to her.

"Thanks Rosie…" She smiled her father shook his head as his eyes dropped to the floor he pinched the bridge of his nose with his left hand before sighing dropping is hand and looking back up at Isabelle.

"Fine, you can stay here…" He turned on Stuart. "But if you don't look after her-"

"Trust me sir until the day I can no longer breath I'll be looking out for her." He said smiling over at Isabelle.

"I'm so sad that you have to leave…" Isabelle pouted as she and Stuart walked her father and Rose to their shuttle.

"Sorry Izzy but I've left my fleet to be run by a Major for the past few days and I just know it's going to be a mess if I don't hurry back." Her father said as he turned to look at his still pouting daughter. The four of them passed a Turian who Isabelle had spent most of her first few weeks training with.

"Hello Smith…" The Turian waved as he passed by them Isabelle smiled and waved back distracted by her thoughts.

"I want to change my name back to Trufello…" She suddenly stated.

"I don't think that's such a good idea little one…" Her father shook his head. "Although that bastard did it just for his own sick reasons it probably helped a lot more then you think it did… The reason some of these mercs are mercs is because they weren't allowed in the Alliance or were kicked out, and although we've been lucky enough not to bump into any today I'm damn sure that there are members of these forces who blame me for their misfortunes…" Isabelle nodded sadly at his words.

"All I'm going to think about when people call me Smith is him though, it makes me sick…" She mumbled Rose gently rubbed her arm.

"Just get into the tradition of introducing yourself as Izzy; you'll be surprised how quickly it'll catch on." Rose smiled Isabelle nodded and as they reached their shuttle she pulled Rose into a cuddle.

"Bye Rosie, thank you for doing the one thing I'd been dreading for nine months…" She chuckled as the older woman stroked the back of her head.

"You're quite welcome Isabelle." She smiled the two men shook hands.

"Don't forget that promise Wilson, if she gets hurt you can be damn sure who I'll be after first!" Isabelle's father threatened.

"Dad!" Isabelle hissed but Stuart held his hand up to stop her.

"Don't worry sir, if I lose your daughter you can be damn sure I'll be the first person punishing myself." He smiled pulling Isabelle into a side cuddle she just smiled before moving to her father for a hug.

"Remember to call me once every week _at least_." He said as he pulled away from her and kissed her on the forehead.

"I promise!" Isabelle smiled as she stepped away from him letting the pair climb into the shuttle. "I'll see you soon. I love you… Both of you!" She called out as they climbed on.

"We love you too sweetie…" Rose smiled as she waved.

"Stay safe and I will see you soon my little petal…" Her father called back as the shuttle doors closed and their shuttle jolted into life pulling out of the bay. Isabelle allowed her hand to slip into Stuarts as she used her other to wave up to the departing shuttle.

"So you're okay with my dad then?" Isabelle said as they turned towards the lifts still hand in hand.

"Yeah… I never actually got to meet your dad when I was with the Alliance, I met Admiral Green a few times but never-" Isabelle cut Stuart off by pulling him into a deep kiss right in the middle of the docking bay wrapping her arms around him. She pulled away and smiled to him.

"Thank you… Thank you for everything, if it hadn't been for you taking some action… I dread to think what might have happened." She explained as Stuart blushed a deep red.

"It's okay Isabelle…" He shyly spoke pulling away from her and walking back towards the lift. "Being an Admirals daughter hasn't turned out too badly for you huh?" He laughed she smiled and nodded at him.

"It certainly hasn't!" She said as they climbed on to the lift and the doors closed. "I just can't wait to tell Julia all about today!" She smiled Stuart suddenly turned very serious.

"Oh… About that, Belle, you're not going to like this…" He said looking into his girlfriend's eyes she worriedly stared back with the gut feeling that she already knew what he was going to say. "I remember when Julia first told me and Stark about why she was here, she was in C-Sec for years… Until one day when she did some dodgy dealings and on that same day her Captain had an Admiral breathing down his neck, an Admiral who caught Julia red handed forcing the Captain to fire her… An Admiral who's name happened to be Trufello…" Isabelle sighed brushing her hand through her hair and looking to the ground.

"Damn…" She mumbled biting her lip.

"What you going to do?" Stuart asked her as they walked off the lift Isabelle shrugged.

"I, I don't know, I guess I'll still tell her about today and what happened but I'll just, I don't know tell her it was just my father and some of his army buddies…" She lifted her head up just in time for them to walk into the mess hall, still hand in hand she looked down to their hands and smiled.

"At least we can tell everyone about us now though!" She grinned Stuart smiled and nodded back to her.

"Well that's one secret out of the bag!" He laughed as the pair spotted Julia and Stark and sat down with them.

"You two look happy!" Julia smiled as they sat down opposite the two.

"Yeah, should you really be holding hands like that though? We're in public what if Daniels sees you?" Stark asked just as the two went to explain everything the ships PA system screeched into action and stopped them.

"Attention soldiers… This is Major Francis speaking, Major Daniels has been… Dismissed due to unforeseen circumstances, I would now request that you report to me." The system fizzled a little before a tapping came and he spoke again. "Thank you for your patience, you may return to your duties." The fizzing cut off and the mess hall broke into its normal chatter.

"'Unforeseen circumstances'?" Julia asked looking at Isabelle as she smiled over to Stuart. "Why do I have a feeling you two had something to do with it?"

"It was all Stuart actually… Would you like to tell it darling?" Isabelle smiled to him he laughed.

"Oh if you insist." He said before turning to the other two and explaining everything, saying he got in contact with 'an old Alliance acquaintance' instead of saying it was Admiral Green and just saying that his acquaintance got hold of Isabelle's father who got here and sorted everything out.

"Wow, your hair?!" Julia questioned staring shocked at Isabelle who nodded with a sneer. "And your father, upon hearing the news that you might be in danger, basically smashed down Daniels' door and beat the shit out of him before arresting him…?" She continued gaining a laugh from Isabelle.

"Actually it was Stuart who did the beating…" She smirked at him Stuart just laughed and shook his head.

"That's not the way I'm going to tell it!" Julia laughed out as she continued back to her food.

"You sure your dad isn't a Turian Smith? He sounds like a Turian…" Stark said Isabelle laughed and nodded.

"Nah, he just sounds like a badass!" Julia said gaining her a confused look from Stark. "Human term…" She explained.


	11. Chapter 11

11.

_A/N: I'm so so sorry for delay everyone! I actually went on a little trip to America and forgot my laptop! I then brought the Hunger Games trilogy and got completely stuck in a week long Hunger Games book world haha! But here's two just for you guys!_

Two more months flew by and before Isabelle realised it she'd been aboard the Subversion for a year and how much had changed for her in that year, the best stuff happened in the last two months though. Major Francis proved to be a much more efficient leader often sending out team after team in one day just to get an area cleared of hostiles before the days end, he also turned out to be a massive fan of Admiral Trufello often telling Isabelle about how it was her father that made him want to join the Alliance and thanks to that adoration of her father she managed to get assigned back into her old team with Julia, Stuart and Stark within the first week. So thanks to Major Francis the fighting was going excellent and thanks to that the morale on the ship was the best it ever had been, and as if that wasn't enough Shepard had also managed to make the Galaxy just that bit safer against the Reapers. Isabelle caught as much of the news as she could and from what she'd been told Shepard had managed to get an Alliance between not just the Turians and the Krogans (a fact Stark would not believe until he got a call from his sister who had just befriended a Krogan) but between the Geth and the Quarians too! Shepard even fought off a Cerberus attack against the Citadel, something which had worried Isabelle out of her wits until her Father phoned to inform her that he was okay she still worried about her mech dog though, Patches which was why she welcomed the shore leave to the Citadel with open arms as it meant a chance to make sure Patches was okay.

"You do realise he's a not an actual organic dog right? He's made of metal, if, on the off chance that Cerberus decided attacking your home of all homes on the Citadel was something they needed to do, if they did attack it Patches would be more then capable of defending himself…" Stuart tried to reason with the slightly panicking Isabelle as they hailed a cab headed for her old home.

"You haven't seen the way he falls down the stairs in the morning…" She glanced out the window of the cab as they approached the house. "Besides I wanted to pick up some other bits from my house anyway so this is a good excuse." She smiled reassuringly back at Stuart who couldn't help but smile back at her as they climbed out of the cab.

"Well it looks fine from here…" He said as they came to the front of the house seeing the building unaffected by the battle. They entered the home only for Isabelle to be thrown to the ground by a blur of white and metallic groaning.

"Belle!" Stuart yelled jumping to his girlfriend's aid.

"Ahahahaha…" Isabelle chuckled out gaining a confused look from Stuart. "It's fine Stu, it's just Patches!" She said sitting herself up so she was looking the FENRIS mech in the strange flat face that it had.  
"You're no harm to anybody are you boy?" She spoke in a childlike voice scratching the underside of the metallic dogs face.

"You realise he probably can't even feel that right?" As if on cue the metallic mech then fell on to its butt in a seated position and lifted its back leg up to its face as though it was trying to itch away the tickling feeling that Isabelle was causing. She just looked up to Stuart with her eyebrows raised in a 'told-you-so' way and he couldn't help but allow a chuckle from his lips as he rolled his eyes at his beautiful girlfriend sat on the floor with a robotic dog.

"So what exactly are you planning to do with Patches? I mean I know Major Francis likes your Dad and all that but I doubt he'll let you get away with having a mech on board…" Stuart asked as he helped Isabelle to her feet and then followed her through the hallway and into a lounge like area.

"Oh I know… And I don't suppose I could smuggle him on…" She pouted as she motioned to one of the chairs for Stuart to sit, he did. "Would you like a drink? I think we have…" She left the room while speaking walking into the adjoined kitchen the mechanic groans of Patches following her everywhere. "Orange juice that…" She opened it up and sniffed it pulling a face. "Has most definitely gone off… Or Whiskey?" She laughed holding up a half empty bottle of whiskey Stuart laughed.

"Well we are meeting Julia and Stark in a few hours for drinks I suppose there's no reason not to start early!" He laughed Isabelle smiled pouring out a couple of glasses.

"So…?" Stuart questioned watching Isabelle as she sat down stroking her mech who stopped at her feet and sat down. "Unless you were being serious about smuggling him in... In which case I don't think I'll be around when you get back to the Sub."

Isabelle laughed at his words. "No, no I wasn't being serious… I think, I think I'm going to give him to next door…" She smiled looking down at the mech. "There's a young girl living there who has always loved him but her parents don't have much money and… I think they're in bad debts to some bad people so if I can give them just that extra bit of security… Why not right?" She was staring into the centre table for most of her sentence but her eyes darted over to Stuart at the end of it who for a few moments after she spoke just continued to stare into her sparkling green eyes that he adored so much before reaching over to her and kissing her gently on the lips.

"You… Are such a beautiful person Isabelle Trufello…" He breathed out once he pulled away Isabelle felt a childish grin pull at her lips and she allowed the infectious smile to cover her entire face.

"Thank you Stuart Wilson…" She whispered kissing him back.

After an hour or so of talking Isabelle realised she still needed to grab the few bits that she needed so the pair of them head up to her room for her to grab a few t-shirts her Normandy model, which gained her a smirk from Stuart.

"Shepard is my hero!" She whined.

"Oh I know, you've informed me of that enough times" He teased taking the ship out of her hands. "I just find it adorable that a woman in the early twenties had a toy ship." He mocked as he wiggled the ship through the air as though it was flying making the appropriate mouth noises.

"Shut up!" She whined playfully smacking him in the stomach and taking her model back off of him. As Isabelle rifled through her things a bit more even disappearing into her father's room to grab some bits she told Stuart to feel free to look around so he did, under the watchful eye of Patches he went back down stairs and entered a room he had not yet. It was on the left side of the house when you entered and was clearly a dining area that also backed on to the kitchen he flicked the switch on the wall, as in the hour the pair had been there it had become dark outside, to find the walls surrounding the large dining table in the centre of the room were covered in photographs. Stuart walked up to the wall opposite him searching each and every photo collage looking at the faces of Isabelle's family. He noticed there was also a desk in the room which had a collection of framed photos sitting on top of it, Stuart was shocked at the sheer amount of photos. He picked up one of the framed ones to see a beautiful black and white photo of Isabelle at what could have only been 10 with her mother, they were in the most beautiful dresses and Isabelle's mother, who was truly the spitting image of an older Isabelle, was holding the young Izzy up so that she could see over the high balcony and look at the view behind it. Her mother was looking at the camera whereas Isabelle had her back to it but her mother had the most beautiful, loving smile on her face that made even Stuart's heartstring's tug.

"My mother was a photographer…" Isabelle had appeared in the doorway watching Stuarts face as he stared at the photo of her and her mother, she placed the small box of things on the table as her eyes moved to look at the wall "That's why we have the wall of photos… The fire-fighters got there in time to put the fires out before they spread to the basement, my mother's dark room; a few got damaged by smoke but nothing serious. My Dad had these things boxed up for ages after, cursing them every day saying 'I'd give up every single one of these photos to bring your mother and sister back'" Isabelle said in a mock voice of her father as she slowly walked around to Stuarts side of the table looking at the ones on the wall before looking at him with a smile then at the photo he was holding.

"That's Dad's favourite one of me and Mum… We were at my Mum's sisters… Third wedding, I think… It was held in Ireland, some of the views there were just… breath taking…" She smiled at the photo as she took it from Stuart's hands.

"Your mother was beautiful Isabelle… You look just like her." He smiled his hand slipping around Isabelle's shoulders as he gently pulled her petite body into his chest and softly kissed her head. Isabelle just smiled into his chest as her eyes moved to another photograph one of her mother and her with little baby Abigail in Isabelle's arms. She placed the other photo down and picked that one up with a frown.

"I didn't even realise Dad had this one…" She smiled as she rubbed her thumb down the frame. "I remember this, it was the day Mum brought Abby home… I was so happy to have a little sister, Mum took this herself…" Isabelle laughed as she stared at the smiling face of her mother. "I remember sitting in the lounge and having to squeeze right up so that we would all fit in the shot." She laughed a little more. "We must have taken this photo a hundred times…" She looked at the neck of her mother to see the beautiful blue-green pendant hanging around her neck "Oh god that necklace, I loved that thing… Mum wore it all the time, she said it reminded her of me and Abby, I had green eyes and Abby had that rare mutation were one eye is a different colour to the other, you know? One of her eyes was green and the other was blue, blue-green… I remember asking to borrow that necklace once and losing it only for Dad to find it in my room days later… Mum was so angry." She smiled glancing up to Stuart with sad eyes he smiled but said no words instead he just pulled her into a tight cuddle.

"Come on, let's go before I start crying and we have to explain to Julia why my eyes are bloodshot!" Isabelle laughed placing the photo in the box with the rest of her things. She then gave the box to Stuart as she lifted Patches into the air, with a very big struggle at the sheer size of it, then rushed out the door walking a few feet down to the neighbours front door placing Patches on the floor in front of it and knocking.

"Isabelle, it's always such a pleasure to see you!" The gentle voice of the middle-aged woman that was Mrs Thankini came out of the door as soon as it was opened. "Oh and you brought along Patches, Chiti! Isabelle and Patches are here!" She called through the house and within seconds her young little Indian daughter came bundling into view.

"Izzy!" She squealed pulling Isabelle into a cuddle.

"Good evening Chi! And hello Mrs. Thankini…" She smiled at the pair as Chiti quickly pulled away from their hug and practically dragged Patches through the threshold.

"Please child, you know to call me Farhanna, would you like to come in?" She asked gesturing for Isabelle to enter.

"I would, but first I'd like to introduce you to my boyfriend Stuart Wilson, Stu this in Mrs… Farhanna…" She continued when she got a stern glance from her Inidan neighbour.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Stuart Wilson." She smiled.

"You too Farhanna." He said shaking her outstretched hand.

"So how have you been young Isabelle? We have been told that you joined the army now?" Farhanna asked as they entered the living area.

"Ah, yes, my Dad, the blabbermouth… Yes, it's actually because of that fact that I'm here to see you today… I have a proposition for you and I believe your husband would also like to hear this?" She questioned hoping he was in as she knew Farhanna would not agree to anything without her husband's approval.

"Oh of course Isabelle, he will be thrilled to see you anyway!" She smiled as she stood up and went to leave the room. "I'll just go fetch him." Moments after the swinging door into the lounge area swung shut it had burst open once more causing Stuart and Isabelle to jump to their feet.

"Ahhh! If it isn't our very own Madirakshi!" Mr Thankini declared in his very thick Indian accent as he entered the room. "It is forever a pleasure to see you again Isabelle… And who is this? The unbelievably lucky man who managed to tie down our beautiful neighbour!" He laughed roughly gripping Stuarts hand and shaking it. "You are one very lucky man my friend!" He smiled Stuart laughed.

"Oh trust me I know… My name is Stuart" He said with a smile in Isabelle's direction.

"Mr Thankini, it's always so lovely to see you!" She smiled as he pulled her into a hug.

"Of course, of course, now our Madirakshi, I'm sorry to rush you but I have things to be doing I'm afraid and my beautiful wife tells me you have some kind of offer for us?" He questioned Isabelle nodding.

"Well Mr and Mrs Thankini, I would like to offer you Patches…" She said with a smile but Farhanna just frowned.

"Patches, but Isabelle you adore your dog?" She questioned.

"I do, and I hope I can still come to see him however because of my new job I no longer live at home and you know my fathers never there anyway…" She explained.

"Well Isabelle I'm not sure we can afford a dog…" Mr Thankini said.

"He doesn't cost a penny, I have all the oil you'll ever need to keep his hydraulics from playing up and I figured as Chi loves him so much… Plus he is extremely good protection." Isabelle explained the pair looked between each other.

"We could do with the extra protection…" Farhanna said.

"Please say yes!" An excited squeal came from the doorway and all eyes turned to look at it to find little Chi stood peeking in Mr Thankini sighed.

"Well how am I supposed to say no now the idea is in her head?" He laughed causing Chi to scream in excitement and run into the room hugging her father.

"Thank you so much Izzy!" She said cuddling Isabelle who smiled and shook her head.

"I'm sure he'll be much happier here then lonely in my house." She smiled standing and moving over to where Patches now was.

"Now you be good for the Thankini's you hear? Try not to fall down their stairs so much… And you keep them safe, okay?" She smiled a slightly sad smile at the flat face of the mech as she tickled under his chin. "He loves it when you do this…" She sighed. "Come on! I better go before I change my mind!" She laughed out as she gave her last round of cuddles and shut the door behind her. As she walked down the road a little with Stuart the street lights on the Citadel just staring to flicker into action he suddenly stopped under one of them grabbed hold of her hand and pulled her into a deep kiss his hands gently brushing through her beautiful long locks and coming to rest on the sides of her face as he pulled away.

"You are an amazing woman Isabelle… You might have just potentially saved those people's lives…" He smiled she blushed a deep red.

"Well, you know… All in a days work…" She laughed he just shook his head and dropped his hands down one of them slipping into one of hers as they continued along the path.

"Your modesty is amazing…" He laughed sarcastically. "What was that word that Mr Thankini kept calling you? Their Mad-deer-akshi?" Isabelle laughed at his interpretation.

"Madirakshi?" She asked he nodded. "In India it's a name for a girl, it means 'woman with intoxicating eyes'… See you're not the only one who likes my eyes." She teased he just laughed.

"They are… Intoxicating…" He said with a happy sigh as he looked off into the sky of the Citadel she just stared at him for a few moments before smiling.

"Thank you…" She grinned.

Later that night they found Julia and Stark at the bar in purgatory already halfway past drunk Julia practically tackled Isabelle as she entered the bar, they were sat with a large group of heavily intoxicated members of the Subversion.

"Isabelle!" Julia screamed as her and Stuart entered the room. "Where have you been like… _All_ night?" She said Isabelle laughed.

"Jules you do realise it's only like… 9pm right?" She asked but Julia didn't seem to even register her talking.

"Oh, you've been with him… To be fair I don't blame you if I was with a pretty boy like Wilson I'd never leave the bedroom if you know what I mean… You know what I mean?" She said Stuart's face practically glowed red in the dark bar as Isabelle almost fell to the floor laughing.

"You know he can hear you right Jules?" She managed to get out past the laughing.

"Oh yeah… He knows what I mean!" She said winking at him which only made Isabelle laugh harder.

"Look Starks going to the bar… I'm going to go join him do you want a drink Belle?" Stuart asked already walking away Isabelle just nodded at him assuming he probably was just going to guess what she wanted to drink. Isabelle slipped her arm into Julia's more to keep her stable enough to reach the table full of the rest of the crew then out of friendship.

"So what have you and Stark been up to all day?" Isabelle asked her friend as they reached the table and sat down, she waved a hello to a few of the members of the table that she knew including the Turian that she had gone through most of her training with.

"We were shooting stuff…" Julia managed to mumble out Isabelle laughed as she looked at the unfocused Asari.

"I hope you mean in a range or something 'cause I don't think C-Sec would take too kindly to you and Stark just running around the Citadel shooting things." Isabelle laughed.

"Fuck C-Sec!" Julia suddenly shouted out gaining a few glances from most of the surrounding customers and Isabelle realised that it was a poor choice of words on her part. "They couldn't even fucking keep this place from being overrun by Cerberus! Ha! Fucking pathetic!" She chuckled out louder then needed and gained a few glares this time Isabelle smiled over to the people apologetically.

"Alright so where were you and Stark shooting then anyway?" She tried to change the subject.

"There was, we went to one of your human arcade things that they have down on Zakera ward, it, it was so fun there was these plastic water guns and you shot into a volus' face and it eventually exploded!" Julia screamed out her hands bursting out like a balloon.

"Okay… That sounds a little violent…" Isabelle mumbled before looking back at her friend. "But you had fun?"

"Oh yeah! I won, I won… Erm… This!" She suddenly pulled out a stuffed Hanar. "It, it's not real…" She said poking into the cushiony soft fabric of the pink stuffed toy. "It's just a toy…." She mumbled.

"Oh, yeah I was wondering that." Isabelle replied sarcastically staring wide eyed wondering how she was so drunk and where the hell the boys were with their drinks. "So did Stark win anything?" She asked to keep the conversation.

"STARK!" Julia suddenly screamed out making Isabelle jump out of her chair ready to fight, Julia found Isabelle's movements hysterically funny. "Wh-Where is Stark?!" She asked Isabelle blushed a deep red as she sunk back into her chair hiding her face from the giggling strangers.

"He's getting some drinks, though I sincerely hope he's getting you a tap water…" Isabelle mumbled behind her hand.

"WHAT?!" Julia yelled but didn't wait for a reply. "OH! There they are!" She said pointing at the approaching pair.

"What on earth took you so long?" Isabelle asked Stuart as soon as he sat down beside her.

"Sorry, Stark wouldn't shut up about…" He glanced up to Julia. "You know…" He whispered nodding towards her.

"Well you got the lucky end of this deal; if she hasn't been loudly cursing about C-Sec then she's been screaming every word and scaring the shit out of me!" Isabelle hissed as she reached for her glass taking a sip of the red liquid to find it surprisingly tasty.

After a few more drinks Isabelle was still finding it hard to tolerate Julia who was also still drinking despite the fact that Isabelle had got her four different bottles of water all of which had gone untouched. Luckily for Isabelle, Julia had managed to latch herself on to one of the Quarian girls from the Sub and together they were dancing like maniacs on the dance floor which gave Isabelle some quiet time with Stuart and Stark.

"How long have you two been here anyway?" She asked Stark as she watched in awe as Julia managed to clear out a circle in the centre of the dance floor then proceed to throw out some dance moves that were almost too alike to the dancers on the podiums.

"Ur, I 'unno…" He shrugged then made a loud squeaking noise which Isabelle could only assume was the Turian version of a hiccup. "'Bout three hours… Maybe?" He questioned trying to look at Isabelle but having to close one eye to focus.

"Wow… You, you two should really get some rest…" Isabelle said staring at the Turians open eye he nodded.

"Maybe…" He repeated before looking at Stuart. "Look it's Wilson!" He suddenly blurted out.

"I've been sat here next to you for like an hour Stark." Stuart said with a furrowed brow which didn't relax when Stark suddenly burst into laughter at his words.

"Oh Wilson… You're so funny!" He practically yelled, Stuart just stared at him open mouthed then looked back to Isabelle who just shook her head and shrugged. "LOOK! IT'S JULIA!" Stark suddenly yelled out, Isabelle followed to where his outstretched talon was pointing and saw Julia heading back to their table.

"Oh thank god, maybe we can get these two to leave now?" Isabelle whispered to Stuart who just chortled out a laugh.

"Ha, yeah, good luck with that one!" He said only to look at Isabelle's face and realise she really did mean _we_.

"Julia I'm glad you're back…" Isabelle suddenly stretched her arms out as she quite obviously faked a yawn. "Ah… I'm getting pretty tired, aren't you? We better go back to the room-" She continued trying to convince Julia but the Asari didn't even seem to hear her as she rushed back to her seat and sat down.

"Anyway… Another thing about C-Sec…" Julia randomly started Isabelle frowned in confusion unsure if she was just carrying on with their earlier conversation or continuing a conversation she was having with someone completely different and hadn't realised she wasn't talking to them anymore.

"…I mean their security protocols must be pretty shit if _Cerberus_ managed to hack them right?" She was speaking far too loudly again and gaining a lot of attention as she laughed and mocked C-Sec. "I mean its _Cerberus_ we fight those bastards every day and win all the damn time!" She cackled out as more people started looking over, a few Turians who were looking over even twitched a little.

"Julia I think maybe you need to tone it down a little…" Stuart whispered.

"Yeah come on Jules let's get you back to the room before anything happens…" Isabelle chimed in.

"You know what I think?" Julia continued even louder as though she hadn't even heard the others. "I-I think that C-Sec just laid down and took it, they realised they were shit compared to Cerberus so they just, they just lay their arms down and took it like the little _bitches_ they are!" She growled out her last insult as suddenly the three Turians and even a few humans they were with suddenly jumped out of their seats and turned on the foursome.

"I don't like your tone Asari!" The closest Turian growled out as they got close.

"Her tone? Oh don't worry, she's drunk, has no idea what she's saying…" Isabelle tried but Julia stood out of her seat.

"My- MY tone?! What about it? You one of the C-Sec_ bitches_ yourself?" She growled this made Isabelle also jump to her feet which in turn brought Stuart and, a dishevelled but ready to fight, Stark up too.

"C-Sec did their goddamn best to make sure this place didn't fall to those dogs! Just because you lotta some of those 'N7 Special forces' that everyone's been going on about don't mean I aint afraid to show you what's what around here!" The Turian hissed out as he and his gang stepped forwards.

"Look, sir," Isabelle stepped forwards coming face to face with the Turian "I'm sorry for what my friend is saying but please believe me she is just _far too _drunk and has no idea what she's saying, in fact she's former C-Sec, she would probably agree with you in more…" Isabelle looked back to her Asari friend as she struggled to stand up. "_Sober_ circumstances…" She looked back to the Turian with an apologetic smile but he didn't buy it, instead he made a noise not unlike a scoff.

"You're just saying all that to keep your Asari pal outta trouble, I heard you trying to quiet her down earlier…" He growled. "She should get taught a lesson!"

"Okay, maybe I am just saying that, but look at her… Would beating her up really feel like you were teaching her a lesson? Or would it just feel like a bunch of guys beating on a helpless drunk Asari?" Isabelle tried to reason with him and once she saw his brow plates relax and she realised that he agreed she smiled.

"Come on, there would be no point, she's being an idiot but beating on her now would just look unfair on your part, we're leaving now, we won't be a bother any more we promise." Isabelle smiled the Turian thought for a moment before nodding.

"Alright, just make sure you get her to keep a lid on it next time…" He growled Isabelle nodded.

"Of course, I will…" She said as her and Stuart escorted Stark and Julia out of the bar.

"Wait, what… What's happening? Did we win?" Julia asked as she hung off Isabelle's arm.

"Yeah we won…" Isabelle sighed out holding all the Asari's weight before glancing back to see Stuart was patting Stark on the back as he vomited over the side of the railings. Looking at the sight of the four of them Isabelle couldn't help but laugh which only made Stuart break out into laughter too as they finally dragged themselves into a cab and back to the hotel they were staying in.


	12. Chapter 12

12.

"Good morning sunshine!" Isabelle spoke much louder then was actually necessary to her Asari friend as she finally moved in her bed awoken by Isabelle slamming the door to their room much harder than needed. Isabelle was glad she did wake up, she was starting to worry Julia had killed herself with all the alcohol she had last night.

"Urgh…" Julia hissed out. "What time is it?" She said in a barely audible voice.

"10 am…" Isabelle said as she continued into the room holding the tray of delicious smelling food in one hand and a hot beverage in the other.

"Ow…" Julia hissed Isabelle just cackled as she placed the bits down on the side and opened up the curtains. "OW!" Julia hissed again throwing the covers over herself to hide from the light that was now pouring into the room.

"Come out from under the covers, I got you breakfast…" Isabelle said moving back over to the food and drink moving it from one side of the room to beside Julia.

"You did?" Julia asked happily from under the covers before quickly pulling them off and glaring at Isabelle. "Why?" She asked suspiciously Isabelle laughed.

"Well Stuart and I got up early this morning, because you know, we weren't suffering the after effects of drinking an Elcor's weight in alcohol like you and Stark, and we went for breakfast and figured we would bring something greasy and delicious back for you guys given your… Fragile states." Julia frowned unsure of Isabelle's answer but pulled the tray on to her lap with glee anyway.

"Now I don't know about Stark's breakfast, 'cause you know all the dextro-amino crap confuses me, but I know for sure that you'll like your breakfast, I got you a nice fat fry up!" Isabelle grinned as Julia tucked into her food before moving to the wardrobe and changing.

"How are you feeling anyway? Do you even remember last night?" She asked as she pulled off her plain tank top and pulled on a nicer lower cut white V-neck.

"No, not really, I mean I'm okay, I remember getting to Purgatory… But not much after that…" Julia chuckled through her food. "Didn't do anything to embarrass myself did I?" She asked with a smile Isabelle turned to look at her Asari friend as she happily cleared half her plate already and smiled.

"No, you didn't do anything…" She smiled deciding not to tell her about the fight she very nearly got everyone into, Stark would probably tell her at some point and if not, well maybe it's nicer that she doesn't know.

"Good… So what's on the agenda for today?" Julia asked watching her human friend as she touched up the little amount of make-up she had on.

"I'm not sure, Stuart just told me to go back to my room and put on some comfortable clothes, and something I look nice in… He didn't explain why." She told the Asari staring at her through the mirror.

"Well I can't imagine his plans involve Stark and me…" She mumbled as she pushed her empty tray off of her and swung her legs over the side of the bed suddenly holding her head. "Ow…"

"You okay?" Isabelle asked moving towards her friend, only when Julia held her head back up and nodded did Isabelle pause.

"Yeah, yeah, I just forgot how much I had to drink last night…" Julia laughed struggling to stand up. "You know maybe it's best I'm not doing anything with you and Wilson today… Least this way Stark and me can lounge out and feel sorry for ourselves." She laughed as she struggled into the bathroom, within minutes Isabelle heard the shower running and, just as she pulled on a tight pair of jeans, she heard a knock on their hotel room door.

"See you later Jules! We'll probably head down to Purgatory again later if you fancy it!" Isabelle shouted through the bathroom door to her pal and was certain she heard Julia gag in return but didn't dwell on it as she opened the door to find Stuart stood in front of her in a black polo neck and dark jeans.

"Well if it isn't my very own James Bond!" Isabelle grinned at the tanned brunette leaning in to kiss him. "And may I just say how handsome you're looking today?" She smiled as she pulled away wiping the bit of lip gloss that had transferred to his lips off with her thumb.

"You may…" He smiled entwining his fingers into hers as she closed her door. "You're not looking so bad yourself…" He smirked purposely staring at her shaped butt in her tight jeans, Isabelle laughed as she caught him staring.

"Well you are in a good mood today!" She grinned. "So what's the plan?" She asked as they walked towards the elevator of the hotel.

"Well that's a surprise…" He grinned as he punched in for the ground floor of the hotel.

"I do love surprises." Isabelle smiled leaning in and kissing Stuart on the cheek as the elevator doors shuddered closed.

Their morning was spent dotting throughout the tourist shops on the Citadel until the pair managed to find an old fashioned novelty shop and began buying silly things for each other and forcing the other to wear them throughout the day, they must have made up the stores yearly income by the time they left, when the pair got to their late lunch reservations at one of the nicer restaurants on the Citadel the hostess refused to let the them in and thought they were joking when they told her they had reservations.

"I'm sorry sir but we cannot allow someone with such… extravagant fashion choices to be seen in our restaurant, we have to keep a level of decorum…" The hostess explained to Stuart who was acting quite seriously offended by their insults.

"What? You mean my hat?!" He growled out purposely tilting the front of the large bright red pirate style hat forwards so that the even bigger novelty yellow feather that was sewn on to it brushed against the woman's face. Isabelle sniggered out behind her too large star shaped novelty sunglasses that took up more space than her head did with their bright green rims and purple tinted plastic shades.

"Or is it my pipe you disapprove of?" Stuart asked as straight faced as he could blowing on the plastic fake pipe he held in his mouth and as the bubbles blew out of the end of it and into the face of the hostess she looked as though she was ready to punch Stuart straight in the face, Isabelle once again sniggered.

"Out." Was all the hostess replied with and when Stuart turned to Isabelle and looked straight at her with his fake disguise shades on that included a large fake nose and fake moustache attached she struggled to hold down her laughter.

"Come along dear, we don't need this place!" Stuart yelled out as he stumbled towards the door tripping on the fake too big clown boots Isabelle had forced him to wear.

"You're right darling! We have much better restaurants to be getting to!" She growled picking up one end of the pink feather boa she was wearing around her neck and throwing it over her shoulder as she stormed out of the building being careful not to get her false reindeer antlers caught on the door.

"Well that wasn't how I was expecting that dinner to go!" Stuart chuckled out as he pulled off his fake disguise glasses.

"Yeah but it was _way_ more fun!" Isabelle chuckled out waving to pointing passers-by.

"It really was!" Stuart laughed before pulling Isabelle into a quick kiss she smiled dumbly as she pulled away from him.

"Besides I hear the sushi down in Zakera ward is pretty decent!" She smiled inches from his face he nodded placing his fake face back on.

"And Zakera ward allows any kind of weirdo!" Stuart mumbled behind his fake moustache Isabelle laughed and kissed him again before quickly pulling away.

"Oh, dear, your moustache is tickling me…" She joked Stuart grinned like an idiot staring at the beautiful tanned Latina woman in front of him, the mock large star sunglasses tinting her normally beautiful green eyes so they looked a light pink as they stared back up at him and he realised just how happy she was making him.

"You really are the girl for me Angel…" He said suddenly serious Isabelle smiled solemnly.

"Thanks… But seriously you need to trim that thing or something!" She laughed and got a laugh in return from Stuart.

After lunch Stuart admitted to still having a few tricks up his sleeve and, after removing all of their fake items as soon after their restaurant mishap the items had run out of novelty, it got even worse when people in Zakera ward started asking for pictures with the pair. The two of them headed to a part of the Citadel Isabelle wasn't familiar with and, considering she'd lived the best part of the last three years on the station that was a shock all in itself.

"Where are you taking me?" She questioned glancing over at Stuart in the cab. "'Cause I mean, last time I was taken somewhere in a cab and I didn't know where it was Daniels taking me to the Subversion and look how that turned out…" Isabelle growled looking out at her surroundings.

"It turned out just great, if you hadn't joined me on the Sub we might not be together now…" He smiled Isabelle just playfully scowled back at him.

"Okay mister optimist I'll let you take me wherever you like, but if you cut my hair in my sleep I'm afraid we're going to have to break up…" She said looking out the window as they started to slow.

Stuart laughed. "Trust me; you're going to like this surprise…" He said as he landed the cab and climbed out as Isabelle climbed out after him she was surprised to come face to face with Julia and Stark.

"Hey, thanks for coming and for bringing Sands…" Stuart said shaking Starks arm as he approached them Julia's glare at the pair told Isabelle she had no idea what was happening either.

"You got any idea what they got us doing out here rookie? 'Cause seriously I'm not sure how much longer I can stand up without being ill." Julia asked Isabelle shook her head.

"Bring us to a lonely field to finally kill us off quietly maybe?" Isabelle joked as she glanced around the area there was a large warehouse building in front of them but not much else other than a few more cars parked around.

"Not so quiet…" Julia mumbled as a hover car parked up and a Turian and human climbed out of another one heading straight into the warehouse the Turian nodded to Stuart as he passed the foursome and Isabelle suddenly noticed the amount of people getting out of their parked cars and also heading into the warehouse majority of them were male but they were all kinds of species, Salarian, Krogan, Turian, Quarian even a few Batarians.

"Alright if this is some sick sex thing I don't know what Rookie here's told you but I am _not_ up for this!" Julia suddenly blurted out making Starks mandibles flare in what Isabelle assumed was either shock or a badly held in chuckle.

"Stu maybe you should just tell us-"

"They're starting, come on…" Stuart cut Isabelle off pulling her and Julia into the warehouse.

"If any of these fuckers get naked I'm gonna start ripping off anything I get my hands on." Julia whispered to Isabelle who couldn't help the laughter that burst from her lips.

"Alright soldiers! You are used to the battlefield am I correct?" Stu had pulled the two girls to the front of a crowd and Isabelle was surprised to find the crowd's attention was on the Turian who had nodded at Stuart earlier.

"Ooo-ah!" The crowd chanted in response to his question Isabelle frowned at the Turian who stood in a semi-circle in front of the crowd, behind him was what looked like a flimsy bit of green material.

"And you are used to fighting real enemies like the Reapers… am I correct?" The Turian yelled out again.

"Ooo-ah!" Again the crowd chanted Stuart and Stark even joined this time.

"And you are most definitely used to using and being shot by real guns… AM I RIGHT?" To this the crowd burst into cheering as the Turian suddenly took a much more jovial tone, he raised his arms and suddenly the flimsy material behind him lifted to reveal the entire warehouse which was set up to look like an old beaten down town with buildings, made of not much more then wood and concrete, running high and low down each side of the warehouse walls and one long road in the middle of them that looked like a bit of a no-mans-land. Beside the Turian were crates full of what looked like some sort of plastic gun and when the Turian picked one up and shot at one of his lackeys Isabelle screamed out shutting her eyes tight. When she heard laughter she realised that something was up she slowly opened her eyes to see the lackey was fine just covered in paint.

"As you can see fellas we have some new comers here tonight so I'm going to explain the rules…" The Turian explained smiling over at Isabelle who quickly realised the crowd was laughing because of her reaction.

"Now for you humans this game is very similar to a game you have on Earth called 'paintball' only this is hard-core stuff! A quick rule to start with, there should be no physical contact, I don't want you guys punching each other that's just playing dirty." The Turians mandibles flicked into a smirk as he talked. "The group will be split into eight teams of two and each member of this team will get a rifle…" The Turian said as he stared handing out the plastic fake guns. "And a grenade, you only get two grenades per team because they are possibly your best weapon, here I'll show you a demonstration of what happens with the grenades…" He said walking over to one of his lackeys and pointing to a point where he should stand the lackey moved over there quickly and the Turian pulled the pin on the grenade and threw it at him.

"Now with a grenade the paint will explode everywhere if you're stood right on top of it obviously it's an instant kill however if you're only hit by a little amount like my friend here is…" He moved over to the human man who had a large splat of white paint across his chest. "This is what we like to call 'shrapnel' paint… If you are hit by some of this your partner has twenty seconds before the paint will dry in which they can come over and clean the paint off, if not you're dead, in this time your gun will be disabled though so you cannot kill anyone while like this… I should also mention that your guns are disabled as soon as you die so you can't get any sneaky after-death shots in." The man stated helping up his friend whose armour, after a few seconds, turned completely white.

"Perfect timing…" The Turian smiled at the armour. "Now if you or your partner die you're dead, that's it, if your partner goes down so do you. A way you will know if you're dead is that both your armour sets will change to the colour of the paint your killer is using, this is also an easy way for us to tally up the kills at the end…" He smiled at Isabelle who smiled back at him before curiously glancing at Stuart wondering how much it cost him to get this Turian fellow to agree into letting those four into this kind of game considering it was obviously a very tight knit tournament full of people who know each other.

"Now, if you're shot in a less deadly place, like your shoulder or stomach or your limbs you will not die however you can only be shot in these places ten times before you die, if you're shot in the head or heart that is a direct hit and it means instant death, if you're shot nine times by one team then another takes the killing shot they get the kill. You get five points for a hit, ten for a kill and twenty for a head or heart shot, and if you manage to kill someone with a grenade it's also twenty points… Oh and ladies, a little added trick for you guys if you hit a guy in his… sensitive spot, it's an extra five points… 'Cause that just hurts… And finally our last rule is that there be a thirty second starting period in which you cannot shoot anyone, as you all start from the same area it would be no fun if you all died in the first ten seconds..." The Turian gained a laugh from the group as he spoke towards Isabelle and Julia about the 'sensitive spot' which made Isabelle look around the group and realise her and Julia were the only girls.

"Okay, now all that's left is for you guys to pick your colours and put your armour on…" The Turian said with a smile and suddenly the group started moving around as all pairs found each other and stood in separate lines as the Turian started giving out guns and changing the paint colours with his omni-tool.

"This is going to be awesome…" Julia suddenly blurted out from beside Isabelle. "I just wish I wasn't so hung-over I'm going to be down on my game!" She said as Isabelle looked over to Stuart and Stark and realised they hadn't decided what teams they were going to be in.

"Okay, and what colour would your team like to be?" The Turian was suddenly at Isabelle's side.

"Oh well I suppose I'll go with Stark-" Julia said moving to stand with Stark.

"No!" Isabelle yelled out grabbing Julia's arm and moving so they were stood separate from the boys. "We're the only girls here Jules… We gotta stick together!" Isabelle stated and Julia couldn't help the grin that spread over her lips.

"Girls v. Boys huh? I'm rooting for you two…" The Turian said winking at Isabelle.

"Oh I see how it is!" Stuart laughed out stepping away from the girls. "Alright, but just know that this means war!" He joked.

"So what colour?" The Turian asked again Isabelle glanced around at all the other people once more before smiling.

"Pink!" She said defiantly the Turian struggled to hide a laugh that came to his lips.

"I'm not even sure we have pink…" He said messing around with his omni-tool. "Ah we do…" He smiled as he pressed one last button and the armour he was holding in his hands ready to give to the girls turned pink and the paint inside the guns did too.

"Perfect!" Isabelle grinned taking the armour out of his hands as the girls snuck off to change into it.


	13. Chapter 13

13.

"Alright…" The Turian started once everyone was changed Isabelle and Julia joined back up with Stuart and Stark to see them wearing blue armour Isabelle grinned at Stuart when she caught his eye and just before she put her helmet on she gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

"You all look just beautiful so let's get this started shall we? … Gentlemen… Ladies… Welcome to Paint Wars!" He yelled out and suddenly everyone rushed off all running into different places Isabelle grabbed on to Julia's wrist and rushed into a small alcove underneath one of the buildings that she'd spotted earlier it turned out to open out into a room which only had three entrances Isabelle ducked down as she kept an eye on their six making sure nobody followed them in and was surprised to find two of the teams had remained at the starting area Isabelle frowned at them as they stood staring at each other.

"5… 4… 3… 2… 1! Let the shooting begin!" The Turian spoke over some kind of loud speaker and suddenly the two teams at the start up began unloading their paint pellets into each other, within seconds one team was taken down by the other but before the other team even had a chance to escape they were taken down by one swift head shot and as their armour turned blue Isabelle smiled before looking back at Julia.

"See that? Stuart already sniped some-" But before Isabelle could finish her sentence the loudspeaker squeaked.

"Team Ruthian and Talius was taken down by Team Dorian and Grend." The Turian's voice came over. "Team Dorian and Grend were taken down by Team Wilson and Stark."

"Seriously?!" Julia suddenly growled out. "Damn, we're screwed!" Julia said glancing out of the doorway Isabelle backed up glancing through the other two entrances.

"Have a little faith girl!" Isabelle grinned to her Asari friend as she noticed a team of Turian's running into one of the rooms beside them Isabelle quickly moved into cover and managed to shoot a few rounds on one of them splattering pink on their armour but the pair seemed too interested in something behind them to even notice the two girls and before Isabelle got a chance to see who they were running from the pair were sniped from a window on the opposite side of the road after a few failed hits the sniper finally got them in the head and the pair fell down their armour turning green as they slowly slumped past Isabelle and Julia with glum looks their guns disabled.

"Team Yuklan and Frainheart were taken down by Team Gorlack and Hans. Only five teams remain." He called out Isabelle worriedly looked up to the window were the pair were sniped from and moved away from her cover over to the other entrance.

"Come on, through here…" She suddenly said rushing through the third entrance and into another room but Isabelle decided this one had too many windows as her and Julia moved to the stairs on the opposite wall and climbed up them. The room was a little more covered but had three entrances including one that lead straight up from the road and all of them were too separated to be able to cover two at once.

"We're too open in here…" Julia said what Isabelle was thinking.

"You're right…" She agreed taking a quick glance out of the window. "Well I know for a fact that one team is over in that window over there, I think we should go for them!" Isabelle said ducking back into cover as she pointed over to the building opposite.

"But that means crossing the no-man's land! There's no way we'd survive that!" Julia said Isabelle smiled behind her helmet at how much the Asari was getting into the game.

"We can use that end for cover, there's a shit ton of rocks we can duck behind, we'd just have to go one at a time…" Isabelle said pointing to one end of the map, the rocks she was talking about were good cover except in the middle where they became smaller and smaller until there was about a foot gap before the rocks started up again on the other side they formed a V shape. As long as the girls ran from one side to the other they should have been fine. As they ran from room to room, Julia managing to get shot by a stray bullet as they ran through one room, they managed to get a little lost going up far too many stairs and finding themselves in a room with no roof but luckily it looked like the highest point on the map and it only had one entrance, the stairs. Isabelle ducked as she looked around the small room.

"This is a great vantage point! One of us could snipe from there while the other covers the stairs!" Julia said as she ducked into the room standing just inches away from Isabelle.

"But look how small this room is, one grenade in here and we're both dead." Isabelle said Julia nodded.

"Good point! Come on before we're sniped!" She said dragging Isabelle out of the room and down as many stairs as they came across until they finally made it to a room where they could easily get to the rocks without any trouble then the speaker broke through the bullet shots of sound that was going on somewhere on the map.

"Team Hilton and Gray were taken down by Team Gorlack and Han." The Turian spoke.

"Are you also kind of hoping not to hear Stuart and Stark's name every time you hear that speaker start?" Julia asked Isabelle as they found their way out of the room.

"Yeah, but only 'cause I want to take them out myself!" Isabelle joked making Julia laugh.

"Same." The Asari spoke through her chuckles as they came to the side of the rocks, Isabelle peeked round the side of them looking out for anyone hiding in any doorways or windows she made a hand gesture to Julia to move quickly so Jules did running across the open pathway with no incident she did a quick thumbs up to Isabelle to show she was okay and the Latina woman nodded before readying herself to run across. Just as she started off she suddenly heard a noise behind her but before she had time to check it out she had been thrown to the floor beside Julia with someone on top of her.

"Rookie!" Julia quickly said as Isabelle turned to find Stuart pushing himself up and off of her.

"Stu?" Isabelle said surprised as she pulled herself up and stood beside Julia who grabbed hold of her wrist.

"There was a sniper, you were about to be shot…" Stuart explained curiously glancing at Julia who held on to Isabelle's wrist.

"Aw Stu… Did you just risk yourself to save me?" Isabelle grinned but as she went to give Stuart a hug she couldn't because of Julia's, now vice-like, grip on her wrist. "Jules?"

"I didn't see a sniper…" Julia said suspiciously.

"Yeah just over there… I jumped in the way… Could have been shot, I think that deserves a cuddle…" Stuart smiled at Isabelle but she suddenly realised how suspicious he was acting.

"Where's Stark?" Julia suddenly asked as Isabelle's eyes fell to the plain wall that was beside the rocks she was just passing and she noticed no paint mark.

"There's no paint on that wall…" Isabelle said realising if she'd been shot at and it'd missed it would have hit the wall.

"They're on to us! NOW STARK NOW!" Stuart suddenly yelled but before he even managed to say the first 'now' Julia had already pulled Isabelle through a doorway and up some stairs as they heard a wet explosion behind them they then stood either side of the stairs railing's to cover the entrance.

"I can't believe them!" Isabelle breathed out.

"They nearly had us there!" Julia said as she relaxed slightly realising they weren't following them.

"Bright side? We managed to get them to waste one of their grenades!" Isabelle smiled and through the small slit in Julia's helmet, saw the Asari's eyes light up.

"Good point!" She smiled. Suddenly the loud speaker broke through the noise once more.

"Team Kurin and Wallace were taken down by Team Gorlack and Han, only three teams remain…" The Turian spoke.

"Damn, Team Gorlack and Han are clearly the ones to watch!" Julia said as she moved over to one of the windows in the upstairs room, then Isabelle heard some commotion coming from her left.

"Shh…" She held her hand up and Julia ducked into cover keeping her attention on Isabelle's hand as the Latina pointed into the next room. The pair then silently moved so they were both taking cover on either side of the doorway before a swift nod from Isabelle made them simultaneously move into the door way with their guns drawn. Their eyes searched the room but they quickly realised that in the middle of the room was a large hole in the floor and ceiling where it looked like someone bombed the building they were in. It was obviously a design novelty to make the place suit the situation however the girls quickly realised how much of an advantage it gave them as they looked down the hole to find a lonely Quarian slowly walking out of some cover below them clearly oblivious of the ceiling and its risk potential.

"Gorlack?" He hissed out and the girls quickly realised why he was alone, obviously Team Gorlack and Han should be renamed to just Team Gorlack. "Where the hell are you!?" This Han person hissed through his enviro-helmet Isabelle grinned over to Julia who readied her gun as he moved further into the sights of the hole. Isabelle quickly realised something and shook her head at Julia silently pulling the grenade off of her holster Isabelle saw Julia's eyes light up in a smile as she nodded to her backing off. Just as Han slowly got into the centre of the hole Isabelle pulled out the peg of the grenade and delicately dropped it into the hole, this Han clearly heard the grenade drop as he shot round and when he saw it he tried to run but wasn't quick enough and before he knew it he had a large pink splatter across his waist.

"GORLACK! I'M DOWN! GRENADE! HELP!" Han yelled out and just as Isabelle smiled and turned to high five her friend she heard a loud growl come from behind her.

"ROOKIE WATCH OUT!" Julia suddenly screamed but before Isabelle had a chance to turn and see what was happening she saw a green blur and was suddenly knocked off the side of the hole landing on her arm, with a loud thud, next to Han.

"Julia!" Isabelle suddenly yelled out as she struggled to push herself up feeling the pain of the fall rush through her arm.

"Rookie! Help!" Julia said as she shot at the Krogan that had now turned on her and was closing in pulling out his holstered weapon. Isabelle was quicker on the draw though and managed to shoot a few rounds into his back Julia then tripped on something and fell on her back still shooting though but once Isabelle saw Gorlack shooting off a few rounds she held her breath and stared down at her armour expecting it to turn green but to her surprise is was Hans armour that turned pink beside her and suddenly she heard Julia's excited yells.

"I got him! I got him right in the soft spot!" She screamed out Isabelle couldn't help but laugh as she heard Gorlack growl lowly and angrily throwing his rifle to the floor and storming away. Han stood up now also laughing at Julia's outburst as he held his hand out to help Isabelle up.

"I hope you're okay… That wasn't a legal move what Gorlack did there… I'm sorry." He very kindly said as he stood there in his pink armour Isabelle couldn't help but grin.

"It's okay… No harm done." She said simply as he nodded and walked away.

"Team Gorlack and Han were taken out by our underdogs Team Sands and Smith. Just two teams remain, Team Wilson and Stark and Team Sands and Smith." The Turian said Julia laughed to her friend as she met her by the stairs to where she was.

"You think Stuart planned this somehow?" She asked realising the situation Isabelle pulled her arm up stretching it out.

"If he planned out the part where a Krogan bull rushed me down a floor of a building then I'm going to murder him, 'cause that hurt!" She moaned Julia frowned worriedly.

"Are you going to be alright?" She asked concerned Isabelle nodded.

"Yeah, I'll shake it off! Let's go get those bastards!" She grinned Julia nodded in agreement as the pair found a place to plan their attack.

"Okay well we know they're going to be in a high building, Stuart will want a good vantage point…" Isabelle said as she risked a glance out the window looking at all the buildings.

"Plus Stark would want somewhere with only one entrance so he could take anyone out easy…" Julia said Isabelle frowned as she thought to herself before quickly coming to the realisation.

"That great place we found when we got lost, really high up with the great vantage point and only the stairs to cover...?" Isabelle reminded her friend as she looked out the window again quickly before turning back to find Julia smiling and pulling out her grenade.

"The place where one grenade could take two people out…" She said Isabelle smiled and nodded pulling her Asari friend down some stairs.

The two girls frantically searched around for some way to cross the no-man's land middle ground after going down every set of stairs they found Isabelle finally found a small underground tunnel and rushed through it.

"I knew there had to be an easier way through" She whispered over to her friend as they came out the other side and headed for the stairs.

"How many hits did that Krogan guy hit you with?" Isabelle asked Julia as they moved from room to room Julia took a second to answer as she counted the hits.

"Four…" She said.

"And including that stray orange hit you took earlier that's five right?" Isabelle asked Julia just nodded as they moved up another set of stairs coming into the room next to the room they needed to be in.

"Okay well I haven't been hit yet so I'll be the distraction," Isabelle said.

"Yeah how has that happened? You're good Rookie but not that good…" Julia said and Isabelle laughed.

"Yeah, I think it was more luck then skill Jules… Anyway I'm pretty sure when we were up there earlier I saw a good point where you could throw a grenade in from the next room so if I stand at the bottom of the stairs here…" Isabelle was barely whispering now as they stood in the next room looking at the entrance to the stairs. "You can go in through that doorway there and find the hole in the ceiling…"

"And if I can't find it?" Julia whispered back to her.

"Well if Stark hasn't taken me down by then come back and we'll just have to try throwing it straight up in his face… though I don't see that working out too well!" Isabelle said. "So no pressure but you better find that hole!" She nodded before silently walking into the room, the pair hugged the walls and as Isabelle made it to her side of the doorway leading to the stairs she nodded to Julia who quickly moved through into the next room.

"Hey guys! Truce?" Isabelle peeked around the edge of her cover as she called to find Stark sat at the top of the stairs with his rifle pointed right at her.

"Where's Julia?!" Stark yelled back,

"She's gone rogue… Threatened to take me out, that's why I want the truce…" Isabelle yelled she heard Stuart laughing.

"How could she threaten to take you out? She'd be taking herself out! Don't lie to us now Angel…" His faceless voice called she held back laughter.

"I'm not lying honestly she's gone mad with power…" Isabelle lied.

"Alright, if you're telling the truth and want a truce come out of your cover and drop your gun…" Stark said Isabelle thought for a moment.

"Okay… Don't shoot me though…" She said moving into the door way and stepping forwards so Stark could see her.

"The gun…." He said and slowly Isabelle bent down and placed the gun down when she stood back up she felt the smack of a paint pellet hitting her shoulder.

"NOW JULES!" She shouted as another pellet hit her she rolled backwards as one more hit her and as she heard Stark coming to move down the stairs she fell to the floor and shot up at him making sure he stayed up there.

"SHIT! GRENADE!" Stuart screamed before the loud wet explosion turned the entire room to pink including the two boys.

"Team Sands and Smith are victorius!" The loud speaker screeched out as the two boys slumped down the stairs to the laughing Isabelle and Julia.

"Our names sound so good together… 'Sands and Smith… Winners of Paint Wars!'" Julia taunted Isabelle laughed as she pulled off her helmet and pouted to the boys.

"And you look so good in pink!" She grinned.

"Yeah, yeah… You two are really bad winners!" Stu said as he pulled his helmet off of his head, he clearly got the worst of the grenade as it still dripped of his hands.

"What was it that you said? 'This means war'?" The two girls burst into laughter only for Stuart to flick some of the paint at Isabelle hitting her face she just continued laughing though as the four of them walked down to meet the rest of the group.

"And in third place… Team Wilson and Stark!" Everyone had gathered around the leader board as the Turian in charge revealed the results, everyone in their different coloured armours made a smile break through Isabelle's paint covered face as she looked at the pink armour of Stuart. The scoring system was explained in a bit more detail and it turned out if you shot someone five times but they killed you those five shots don't count to your end score so the few shots that Stark had hit Isabelle with hadn't counted and so the boys came in below the girls.

"YES!" Julia shouted out punching the air "IN YOUR FACE!" She taunted to Stark who just glared at her and if it wasn't for the light smirk on his lips, Isabelle would have thought he was going to punch Jules. The Latina barely managed to hold back the laughter that came to her lips while she watched her Asari friend dance a 'winner's dance' around the Turian.

"Second place Team Sands and Smith! Congratulations to Team Gorlack and Hans who are our winners today…"

"YES!" The Krogan growled out "I AM KROGAN!" He yelled punching his chest Isabelle couldn't help the glare that came to her eyes as she looked at him, her eyes moved back to the Turian in charge when one of his lackeys moved over to him.

"Oh… Really? Well it appears I am to correct myself then… Team Gorlack and Hans have been disqualified from this round as Gorlack broke the rules by physically hurting another Team... By default Team Sands and Smith are our winners."

"What?" Isabelle asked.

"WHAT?!" The suddenly less jovial Krogan practically yelled.

"There is no physical contact in this game Gorlack you know that you come here every week!" The Turian held his own in the face of the angry Krogan who let out a growl before his eyes slid around to glare at Isabelle.

"You! You nasty little bag of flesh!" In two strides the Krogan was in front of Isabelle with a glare he didn't manage to get too close though as Stuart was quick to stand in front of his girlfriend. "Did you rat me out you little pyjack!?" He yelled at her as though Stuart wasn't even there.

"Gorlack step back before you _really_ piss me off…" Stuart said

"Screw you Wilson! I don't give a quad about you setting all this up to surprise your tiny female… I won fair and square!" The Krogan growled straight into Stuart's face but Stuart didn't back down as Isabelle smiled looking at the back of Stu's head.

"I knew inviting you was a mistake…" Stuart growled.

"Gorlack!" Hans suddenly yelled the Quarian barely sounding audible over the Krogan's growls. "I told the others about you breaking the rules… I ratted you out, now stand down."

"Gorlack you heard Hans… You don't want another issue on your record you already have two, three and you're out of the games forever Gorlack, you know that." The Turian spoke after a few more seconds Gorlack growled throwing his gun to the floor and storming away.

"Thank you guys but honestly he can have the title if it means that much to him… I'm just happy I beat Stuart…" Isabelle grinned playfully to Stu as she now approached the Turian who shook his head.

"I apologise for Gorlack's behaviour, I do hope you enjoyed your time today Miss Smith, it was a pleasure to finally meet you." The Turian said before moving to Stuart and shaking his hand.

"See you next time…" Stuart said the Turian just nodded as he walked away the rest of the group breaking up and leaving once more.

"So…" Isabelle said turning on Stuart with a grin on her face. "You set this all up for me?" She asked.

"Not exactly, we do a paint wars every month or so I just happened to pull in a few favours so I could get this months scheduled for today _and_ asked if they would allow three people who had never played before to enter, normally you have to go through a ton of paperwork and even trials before you can actually play in a match…" He explained Isabelle just grinned at him.

"How long have you been doing this?" She asked.

"Forever, paint ball was something my Dad used to really love to do we used to go like every other week when we were kids and when I found out about this I joined up." He smiled.

"And how long exactly have you been talking about me to these guys?" Isabelle teased.

"Aha… What makes you think I've been talking to these guys about you?" Stuart chuckled.

"'A pleasure to _finally_ meet you' kinda gave it away…" She scrunched up her nose as she spoke Stuart's face turned a dull red as he looked away from Isabelle.

"Pretty much ever since I met you a year ago… I told you I couldn't get you out of my head." He explained and as he turned back to look at Isabelle she moved towards him pulling him into a kiss.

"Thank you…" She whispered as she pulled away. "For everything, today was just amazing…"

"It's not over yet…" He smiled his hands moving to her cheeks. "But first let's find the other two and get out of here…"

"One more thing first…" Isabelle whispered pulling him into another sweet kiss but this time while her eyes were closed and her body was enjoying the feel of Stuarts hand slipping down her back she suddenly heard a noise beside them and before she had a chance to react she felt liquid on her head the pair suddenly pulled apart just in time for Isabelle to catch Julia stood beside her with an empty bucket of paint before she had to close her eyes again to keep paint from going into them.

"URGH!" Isabelle screamed out wiping the paint off of her face as she could hear Stark and Julia, though mostly the latter, laughing so hard they were coughing. "I seriously hate you guys…"

"Agreed…" Stuart growled out from beside Isabelle as they both managed to get the majority of the dripping paint off of their faces.

"Psh, without us your lives would be _so_ dull…" Julia laughed out "Come on! We're going to Purgatory!" Julia said suddenly taking Isabelle's arm in her own an act that shocked Isabelle as first as she was only just getting her bearings.

"I thought you two were hung-over?!" Isabelle questioned wiping some of the paint on to her friend who glared at her.

"We Turians are strong believers in the fact that when in pain from alcohol you must drink more to get rid of it…" Stark explained Isabelle nodded.

"Oh right like hair of the dog!" Isabelle said the famous English saying for when you drink more alcohol to get rid of a hangover.

"Wh-What?" Julia asked frowning at Isabelle. "Aren't dogs some kind of Earth pet? I don't want to drink hair of one of them!" She squealed making Isabelle burst into laughter as they walked to the shuttles.


	14. Chapter 14

14.

_Hello my darlings, just a quick note this is a very naughty chapter and I know some people don't like that sorta reading so I have left a little dash symbol (-) where the dirty stuff begins and ends if you don't want to read it just skip that part… Thank you for reading beautifuls! :)_

"Here's your drink Belle…" Stuart said placing a drink in front of Isabelle as he sat at the table of four. They had only been there for an hour but the alcohol was already starting to take effect on Julia who was speaking over everyone as she did when she was a little drunk.

"So what is this 'Belle' thing? I mean obviously it's short for Isabelle but why don't you just call her Iz like everyone else?" Julia questioned Stuart looked at her with a laugh playing on his lips at her drunken talking.

"Well on Earth, before we had such good translation technology, we used to have a lot of different languages, one of them was Italian and the word 'Belle' means beautiful in Italian…" Stuart's eyes moved to Isabelle who grinned dumbly at him. "It seemed very apt to me…" He said with an equally as dumb grin as Isabelle kissed him.

"Oh yuck, Stark remind me again why we're sitting here watching two idiots covered in green paint smooching?" Julia said pulling a face as the pair continued ignoring her complaints.

"No idea…" Stark mumbled out.

"Come on, let's go dance!" Julia said suddenly and Isabelle heard the pair leave the table as she slid her hand through Stuart's hair the feel of his tongue against hers making her want him even more and as she went to move on to his lap she suddenly realised where they were.

"Let's go to my room now while Julia's down here partying…" Isabelle breathed out as she pulled away from Stuart he just grinned at her.

"I've got an even better idea!" He whispered getting out of his seat and pulling Isabelle up with him as they quickly moved into the elevator hand in hand. Once the elevator doors came to a slow close Isabelle pulled on Stuarts hand forcing him to look at her as she suddenly flew towards him forcing him backwards into one of the walls of the elevator her lips pushing against his as she allowed her hands to slide up his top gently brushing her fingertips against his tough muscled body pulling away from him to look him in the eyes as she pushed her own body against his the lustful look in his eyes just driving her to want him more as she felt his hands slip down to her butt suddenly the elevator dinged and they came to a stop Isabelle was quick to pull away from Stuart as she tried to make herself look less flustered. An old couple walked on to the elevator suspiciously eyeing Stuart and Isabelle as they tried their best not to laugh.

The pair were quick to get back to their hotel however when Isabelle went to press the floor her room was on in the lift Stuart stopped her instead pressing a button for a few floors up Isabelle frowned at him but stayed quiet as the lift moved up to the floor they wanted when the doors reopened Stuart slipped his fingers into Isabelle's hand and lead her down the hall to one of the end rooms.

"Stu… What is this?" She asked as he smiled back at her opening the door, the room was massive; one wall of it was windows that had a beautiful view of the Citadel.

"Stu…" Isabelle whispered as she stared out at the view. "This is beautiful. What on earth did I do to deserve all of this?" She asked looking back at him he smiled.

"You haven't pushed…" He said she frowned at him.

"What?"

"You haven't pushed me into telling you why I joined the Sub…" He explained she shook her head.

"Well no you said you'd tell me when you're ready…" She said his grin just got wider.

"And it's for that reason that I've set all this up… Even though I'm holding back you've taken that in your stride and haven't let it bother you and for that I thank you…" Isabelle smiled at him.

"Well then you're welcome." She said.

"That's what today's been about I wanted to thank you by giving you a wonderful day, plus I wanted to share something with you that's always been a big part of my life, my family's life… I mean as far as I know my brothers and my Dad still go out every other weekend and do paintballing…" Stuart's smile suddenly fell as his face became deadly serious. "I suppose we won't be able to do that anymore…" He whispered Isabelle smiled faintly at him as she remembered the news about his Dad.

"We will Stuart, me and you will carry on the tradition, I'd love to take a trip to Earth to beat your brothers at paintball." She grinned at him he just smiled back brushing some of the dry cracking paint off of her face.

"He would have loved you, you know, my Dad… Paul is married with kids now, we all knew that was going to happen, he married his childhood sweetheart and Harry," Stuart smirked thinking of his younger brother Isabelle couldn't help but smile at the sweet look on his face. "Harry is a comedian, a very charming and attractive one at that… And he uses it to his full advantage; I think he has a different girl every night. Gracie, well she's just a kid but she's got boys falling all over each other to get her attention and I could sense that Dad was always worried about me… I think he thought I was gay." He laughed Isabelle returned the laugh with her own.

"It must just be the way you walk or something…" She said with a grin remembering when she first saw him and thought he was gay.

"Ha, yeah well he'd be happy to know I've finally met someone and the fact that you make me _so_ happy would just make him fall in love with you." He smiled at her.

"Your family sounds amazing Stuart… I cannot wait to meet them." Isabelle smiled. "But before we can do anything else I think we need to get this paint off…" Isabelle said a cheeky smile suddenly on her lips.

"Oh? We do… How do you propose we do that?" He asked she just smirked.

"Well we clearly need to have a shower…" She whispered as she approached Stuart his now hungry eyes staring at her lips.

"We?" He asked her smirk lingered on her lips as she raised an eye brow now backing away from him as she gently pulled off her top, his eyes widened as he watched her in just her bra.

"Well we could always have separate showers…" She said turning away from him now as she threw her top to one side and removed her shoes. "But you paid a lot for this hotel room…" She continued walking towards the bathroom as she slowly slipped off her jeans purposely bending down further then she needed to as she did.

"And we don't want to take the piss by using up all their hot water…" Her hand reached around her back and with a simple slip of her fingers she unclasped her bra walking into the bathroom as she threw the bra off to one side she peeked round the door and looked at the lustful Stuart making sure not to show any body parts.

"Right?" She smirked and as she slipped off her underwear and climbed into the running shower she heard Stuart fumbling around pulling off his clothes as quickly as possible before appearing in the bathroom in nothing but his boxers. Isabelle peeked around the side of the shower curtain as she saw him enter through the blurred fabric, she bit her lower lip as she looked at his toned body and found that he was looking at the shower curtain to were her blurred figure stood she grinned at him.

"Isabelle…" He whispered when his eyes met hers she just grinned as she beckoned him into the shower. He swiftly removed his shorts before slowly getting into the shower with her.

For a few seconds the pair just looked at the others naked body. Isabelle noted how toned Stuart was and how wonderful water looked as it trickled down his six-pack she also noticed the long thin scar that ran from almost beside where his heart is up to his shoulder and she frowned her hand gently moving to run her fingers along it as she looked up at his face. He just smiled at her before closing the small gap between them and kissing her the water from the shower now lightly covering both their faces as she deepened the kiss. One of her hands ran through his wet hair as the other gently tickled the back of his neck she knew it sent him wild when she did that and before she knew it she could feel his stiff excited not to mention large, bigger then Isabelle imagined in fact, member against her thigh. Suddenly the gentle Stuart became excited instead as his hands moved down Isabelle's wet body sliding on to her butt and lifting it so that her thighs wrapped around his waist, he pulled away from the kiss to look her in the eyes.

"You ready?" He whispered gently to her as one of his hands slipped down to between her open legs his fingers gently teasing around the area making her moan out as her lips moved down his neck.

"More than ready." She whispered into his ear as she moaned further from his teasing fingers. She moved away from Stuart's neck and instead looked at his gorgeous face as she felt one of his hands move to her hip and the other to his own shaft as he moved himself into the right position. Isabelle bit her bottom lip as she realised just how excited she was for him to be inside her. Gently Stuart moved into her just his tip pushing against her at first but as she moaned out from the pain of taking his large piece this just seemed to excite him more and he moved a bit more quickly into her now making her scream out.

"Oh Stuart!" She yelled as he pushed his whole self into her the warmth of her clenching vagina on his stiff shaft making him only want her more. She tightly squeezed his arm as he pulled out and back in again the pain becoming pleasure as Stuart kissed down her neck and on to her breasts gently kissing her nipples the feeling pleasing Isabelle even further making her curse as she felt her excitement building.

"Harder Stu…" She breathed out Stu just happily moaned into his kisses on her breasts as he suddenly picked up the pace his hips fiercely pumping into her. Isabelle moaned out as she pulled him towards her making him look at her as she pulled him into a passionate kiss gently biting his bottom lip as she felt his throbbing piece inside her. She could feel her climax building as she moaned further at Stuart slowly pulling out of her then pushing back in hard and fast, she had to pull away from his lips as she felt a stuttered breath come out of her mouth her hands gripping on to Stuarts back her nails digging in and just building his excitement further.

"Stu- Stu I'm gonna…" She whispered into his shoulder as he picked up the pace again.

"Gonna what Angel?" He teased as she moaned into his neck. "Want me to slow down?" He teased further slowing his pace.

"No! No, no… Oh Stu please…." She moaned out a smirk grew on his face as he now picked up his pace once more pumping into Isabelle deeply.

"Oh yes, yes Stu!" She screamed out feeling the climax building more her head facing the ceiling now as she pushed her hips against Stuarts he grinned and started kissing her neck as her breathing stuttered further the climax coming to a slow pleasing end as Isabelle felt Stuart pump into her a few more times the sensation making her scream out as her entire body went numb.

"Oh Stu…" She whispered out allowing her head to fall back and look at him. "Your turn…" She whispered with a grin he smirked too as she began gently tickling the back of his neck with her finger tips kissing down his chest his own climax had already started building up when he saw the pleasure he gave Isabelle so it didn't take long before his own breathing became berated and Isabelle was smirking as she kissed him passionately. One of her hands ran through his hair and the other continued to tickle his neck and just as her lips moved from his mouth and her tongue gently ran down his neck her teeth nipping him every now and then Stuart felt the climax come to blows.

"Ohh Isabelle…" He moaned

"Mmm you feel so good Stu…" Isabelle seductively whispered into his ear making the last thrust into her just that bit sweeter.

Isabelle and Stuart quickly climbed into bed all washed up after their little shower session, Isabelle had stolen one of Stuart's shirts to sleep in as she climbed into the large king sized bed beside the naked Stuart.

"Oh… A king sized bed… The bunks at the Sub really aren't that great are they?" She said as she laid herself on his chest.

"Definitely not, they feel like cardboard compared to this…" Stuart agreed nesting into the pillow with one arm behind his head and the other wrapped around Isabelle's shoulders.

"Although I do feel bad…" Isabelle spoke sleepily.

"Feel bad?" Stuart asked a frown on his face but his eyes closed.

"Well you paid all that money for this beautiful bed and we didn't even get to use it properly…" Isabelle smiled a smirk grew on Stuart's face as he opened his eyes and looked down at Isabelle suddenly shifting in the bed so his arm was under her head and he was looking at her face to face. Isabelle kept her eyes shut though the grin on her lips told him she knew what he was thinking as she clearly held in laughter.

"We haven't got to use it properly… Yet…" He grinned Isabelle's smile just grew wider as she opened one emerald green eye to look at him before he pounced on her. Isabelle burst into laughter as he pulled the covers over the top of the pair of them and kissed her.

The following morning Isabelle could have sworn she woke up with a smile on her face because, although today was the day they all had to head back to the Subversion and end their shore leave, yesterday had been the best day she'd had since joining the special ops. She stretched out in bed to find Stuart had fallen asleep cuddling her she turned and smiled at him watching his naked toned torso as it gently moved up and down. As she gently ran her hand through his short dark locks she wondered what he was dreaming about that was until his eyes fluttered open she quickly pulled her hand back.

"Oh sorry did I wake you?" She whispered he smiled and shook his head.

"Well yeah but it's okay, it was a good way to wake up…" He smiled she couldn't help the childish smile that grew over her lips as she leant in and kissed him not caring about the horrible morning breath they both had.

"Morning gorgeous…" She whispered as she pulled away.

"Morning Angel…" He said kissing her again before stretching himself out and yawning. Isabelle pulled herself up and sat on the edge of the bed checking the time.

"We better get ready to go, we're supposed to be at the docks at 1000 and it's nine now…" She said as Stuart snuck his arm around her waist laying his head next to where she was sitting.

"Can't we just lie in bed all day?" He pouted Isabelle couldn't help but laugh at his behaviour.

"Sorry baby we have to work…" She grinned cupping his cheeks in her hands and kissing him before standing up and starting to get ready.

Isabelle had got herself freshened up was surprised to leave the bathroom and find Stuart still in bed a laugh left her lips as she looked at him.

"Wow, you are really lazy in the morning…" She laughed pulling on her jeans.

"And you're really not…" He whined as he watched her dressing. "Come back to bed… Please? We'll tell the Major we're sick…" Isabelle laughed.

"Come on, we have half an hour till we have to meet everyone… Get up lazy bones…" She said walking over to the bed and pulling at his arm Stuart just pulled back and easily overpowered her pulling her so she was straddling him on the bed in just her jeans and a bra.

"Oh look you're back on the bed now… Might as well stay here and have sex _all_ day…" He said Isabelle laughed shaking her head.

"You're stubborn in the morning too…" She grinned leaning down and kissing him before climbing out of the bed. "Come on!" She said slapping the side of his butt as she continued putting clothes on.

"Alright…. But I have one more surprise for you…" He grinned climbing out of the bed and pulling some boxers on.

"Stuart! Another one?! You have done enough!" She laughed applying the little bit of make-up she had in her bag. "You already got me into bed remember?" She teased turning to him with a smile.

"Actually that's kind of the reason I wanted to give this one to you now…" He explained as he pulled on his trousers and started searching one of the drawers in the room. "Cause this present actually means something; I didn't buy this one just to get you to have sex with me…" He said finding what he wants but keeping it hidden from Isabelle.

"Oh I see but all the other stuff was?" She teased as he turned to look at her with a smirk on his lips.

"Oh yeah didn't you realise?" He joked. "Close your eyes…" Isabelle rolled her eyes first before giving in and closing them. She felt Stuart gently take one of her hands into his own and move it so it was facing palm up in front of her then she felt him place some kind of stringy thing into it she frowned slightly.

"Open them…" He said her eyelids fluttered open as her emerald eyes took a second to land on the new item in her hand. It wasn't an astounding necklace, made of some kind of leather string and not very modern however it was the charm hanging off the end of it that made it so amazing to Isabelle, it was a stunning small green and blue gem that shone its two separate colours when held in different lights.

"Oh Stu…" She whispered the resemblance to her mother's old necklace was uncanny to the point that it nearly brought tears to Isabelle's eyes.

"I know it's not silver chained like your mother's one was but when I saw that gem I just had to buy it…" He explained Isabelle looked up at him with tears teeming on her eye lids.

"You remembered that?" She breathed out Stuart smiled and nodded.

"Of course I did… And it's small enough that you can wear it under your armour-" but before Stuart could finish his sentence Isabelle had jumped into his arms cuddling him.

"Thank you…." She whispered into his shoulder. "You have done way more for me then you needed to Stuart… Thank you…"

He smiled at her words. "Let's just call this an early birthday present or something…" He grinned she nodded pulling herself away and wrapping the necklace around her neck.

"Will you do the honours?" She asked turning her back to him so he could tie it up.

"I'd love to…" He said tying the leather string together so that the gem hung just in the middle of Isabelle's chest she smiled at him through the mirror once more as they got themselves ready to leave.


	15. Chapter 15

15.

Another week passed and soon enough the memories of their shore leave were disappearing as everyone got settled back in to normal life, however the teams were shocked to discover that there was some more news on Shepard, she had been collecting new allegiances with more people and of course with each new alliance a new 'comrade' joins the Subversion. The teams were surprised to find one of these new comrades were what people nicknamed 'Cerberus defectors' members of Cerberus who realised their wicked ways and joined the fight against them, they freaked Isabelle the hell out though.

"They're just creepy… They don't talk, I tried to spark up a conversation with one of them in the elevator the other day and he completely ignored me! Didn't even take his helmet off!" Isabelle whispered to the other four as one of the defectors passed their table in the mess hall.

"That's one guy… Maybe that was just how he is? Or maybe he's really shy? I mean you can be a bit too forward sometimes!" Julia tried to defend him Isabelle scowled at her.

"I'm not forward!" She growled Julia just cocked a brow then glanced over to Stuart who shook his head.

"Don't try and get my support in this one, I think they're pretty strange too!" He said looking down to his food.

"Because they _are_ strange, I don't think I have seen a single one of them in casual clothes! They're always wearing their helmets, it's creepy…" Isabelle said suspiciously glancing over to them like they were conspiring against her.

"I think you're just holding a grudge because you know they're ex-Cerberus… Maybe they don't have any other clothes? I doubt Cerberus would have given them time to pack! You're just being far too judgemental Rookie!" Julia defended.

"I'm not being judgemental! You're bang out of order for saying that!" Isabelle blurted out her strong Southern English accent coming through seemingly stronger than ever. Julia just stared at her in complete confusion before glancing over to Stark who shook his head and shrugged.

"Human saying?" He questioned but Stuart intercepted.

"Woah, don't put that mad saying on us Humans… Not even I know this one…" At those words a smile came across everyone's lips.

"It's a British saying…" Isabelle explained only to get another confused look from Julia and Stark. "Me and Stuart are both from Earth but from different countries on Earth…" She explained but neither of them even pretended they understood causing everyone to let out a little laughter.

"Anyway, it means it's not fair for you to say something like that… I'm not that judgemental! That would be like me holding a grudge with you because you got kicked out of C-Sec!" Isabelle let out a short laugh before realising what she said and why there was a sudden silence among the foursome.

"I- I don't think I've ever told you I was _kicked_ out of C-Sec…" Julia asked suspiciously Isabelle let out a suspiciously pathetic laugh and shook her head.

"Of course you have!" She laughed.

"No- No I'm pretty sure I haven't… I've told you I was ex-C-Sec but I've never said why and I definitely didn't tell you I was _kicked_ out…" She growled suspiciously.

"Uh…" Is all Isabelle could say as she looked up to Stuart and that look was all Julia needed.

"You told her didn't you!? You told her about what happened to me!" She growled pointing at Stuart.

"Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else?" Stark whispered out as Julia's aggressive tone started to gain a few looks.

"Oh I'm not going anywhere! Not until one of these two gives me a straight answer! Did you tell her Wilson? Bit of a dick move no? I wouldn't tell Stark your past!" She growled Isabelle glanced over to Stuart with a worried look.

"Yes I told her Julia alright..." He softly spoke.

"No not alright Wilson! Maybe I didn't want Isabelle knowing about my back story-"

"It's fine Julia I'm not going to judge you-" Isabelle tried but was cut off.

"Oh really? You're not going to judge me? Like how you're not judging those Cerberus defectors I suppose?" She growled louder and when one of the Cerberus defectors looked over Stark spoke up.

"Seriously guys, this is getting embarrassing!" He growled hiding his face.

"I'm not leaving Stark! Not until I know why the fuck these two were discussing me and my shady past?" She growled.

"Julia it wasn't like that-" Stuart was cut off too.

"You two often meet up to complain behind the backs of your fellow team mates? Or am I just special because I'm the dumb bitch who got caught red handed?" She growled.

"I didn't even tell Isabelle what exactly happened… Just that-"

"Just the bad bits then? Just the fact that I was caught and _kicked_ out?! Hm? Well Isabelle? You're being awfully quiet over here? Got anything to say or you just want to sit there and judge in silence?!-"

"MY FATHER IS ADMIRAL TRUFELLO!" Isabelle cut Julia off this time, practically screaming at her as she stood out of her chair and slammed her hands down to the table out of pure frustration at the Asari friend who looked completely bewildered.

"W-What?!" Julia growled through gritted teeth.

"ISABELLE! Remember where you are!" Stuart tried to intervene.

"My father… Is Admiral Trufello…" Isabelle spoke more softly now as Stuart looked round to make sure nobody heard her. Isabelle remained out of her seat staring directly at Julia but the Asari's eyes fell from glaring at Isabelle's face down to stare in shock at the table before she quietly stood up and without saying a word walked away.

"Julia…" Isabelle called out to her friend but Julia just threw her hand up at her to silence her as she walked out of the mess hall.

"Well… That could have gone a bit better…" Stark mumbled from behind Isabelle.

Later that evening Isabelle decided that she couldn't hide in the boys room for much longer without Stark getting seriously annoyed so she started talking herself into going back to her own room and facing the music.

"Come on… You can do it…" She whispered to herself jumping on the spot in the kind of way a boxer would before a big fight. "She's one Asari, sure she's powerful but you have the advantage of surprise…" She spoke to herself again cracking her neck and stretching out her arms.

"What… What is this? What are you doing right now?" Stark asked in utter confusion at Isabelle's actions.

"I'm preparing myself for the argument I'm about to have with Julia…" Isabelle spoke to him although she wasn't facing him she could sense the confused look he had.

"She needs to talk herself into it first Stark…" Stuart explained further from behind her.

"Oh no I get that, what I don't get is why? You're going to have an argument not try and win a war… In fact I think I've seen you walk into the face of a battle with less of a build-up…" He asked in confusion but got a laugh out of Stuart for his words.

"Julia's different, she's a friend, and it's harder to fight a friend then some faceless ugly Reaper…" Isabelle tried to explain but when she got no response she quickly understood that Stark just wasn't getting it so she changed the subject. "Well… Wish me luck!" She said as she finally glanced back to the pair of them.

"I think you've wished yourself enough luck for the three of us…" Stark joked Isabelle just pulled a face at him before giving Stuart a quick peck.

"Good luck Belle…" He said once she'd pulled away.

Isabelle left the boys room and took the very short trip down the hallway to her own room knowing that a very angry Julia was stood behind the door made Isabelle pause in front of it as she stood there wondering if maybe she should knock then the rational part of her mind kicked in and reminded her that this was _her_ room that's when her hand finally reached down and turned the door handle. As soon as Isabelle entered Julia stood from her seated position on her bed to stand next to it and glare at her.

"Julia…" Isabelle started as she gently closed the door behind her.

"Trufello." Julia growled out spitefully Isabelle sighed in reply.

"Don't be like that Jules…" She breathed out her head dropping in guilt.

"I'm not being _like_ anything! I'm just calling you your real name, you know the one you've kept from me, your room mate, team mate, friend, and oh I don't know just the only person other than Wilson who you spend any time with!" Julia hissed. "For a _year_ too! Damn you must have been laughing so hard every time I called you Smith!"

"Julia it's not like that…" Isabelle spoke looking at her friend who's eyes were filled with rage.

"Oh it's not? Well then enlighten me Trufello! What exactly is it _like_? Cause I mean you didn't seem too ashamed of your name when you shouted it at me earlier in the mess hall! So does everyone know? Is it just me the dumb Asari room mate who hasn't been clued in?!" She hissed Isabelle shook her head violently.

"No! No Julia no one else on the ship knows I kept it a secret so I wasn't used by anyone trying to get back at my Dad… Only Stuart and Stark know." Isabelle explained but her words just seemed to upset Julia more.

"Stark?! You told _Stark_ before me?!" She hissed out staring bewildered at Isabelle who quickly realised her mistake.

"Well Stuart told him… But only a few weeks ago, after the whole Daniels thing…" Isabelle tried to dig herself out of the hole she had created but it didn't seem to work.

"Oh my god, he was on this ship wasn't he?! He was here, just feet from me and I didn't even know!" Julia growled talking now about Isabelle's father she continued as she moved over to her bed and sat down seemingly lost in her own thoughts. "I always told myself I'd get my pay back if I ever saw him again-"

"Remember that's my father you're talking about!" Isabelle growled out glaring at her room mate.

"And the man that destroyed my life!" Julia suddenly stood from her seat hissing at Isabelle's aggressive tone.

"I understand that Julia but you have to see it from my perspective… He is my Father, whatever 'revenge' you have planned for him you will have to go through _me_ first." Isabelle did not back down from the angry Asari.

"Oh listen to yourself Isabelle! Me, me, _me, my_ perspective! It's all about you! What about _my_ perspective?! _My_ needs?! Your father ruined my entire life just to gain a few points with the brass and now you're being selfish and judgemental just like he was!" Julia spat venom to her Latina friend and just by the glare Isabelle threw her she knew she had hit a sensitive spot.

"_YOU _are calling _me_ selfish!? HA!" Isabelle threw her head up in a mock laugh. "You are the most self-centred person I know Julia! And you know what I _actually_ came in here thinking to myself that maybe just _maybe_ you would understand, but clearly I was wrong, you're too childish, stubborn and damn self-involved to see past anything but your own reckless revenge!" Isabelle growled out as she turned away to leave the room.

"Trufello…" Something about Julia's tone made Isabelle pause where she was. "Want to know what actually happened that day your Father caught me?" Isabelle turned her body to look back at Julia who was facing away from her now. "I wasn't really smuggling red sand, you ever known me to be addicted to that shit? Fuck that it rots your brain…" She growled out turning so Isabelle could see half her face. "I was covering someone that day, he'd had a tip that someone had ratted him out and the Admirals were going to catch him with the stuff but he had no way of concealing the evidence so it wouldn't point back to him…" Julia sighed. "So he tricked me into it, made it so I'd get caught with the shit literally in my damn hands then told me he'd deny everything if I didn't confess to it and that he'd murder me if I tried to prove it…" Isabelle stared in a silent guilty shock at her friend.

"Julia…" She went to speak but was cut short.

"That guy, the one that got me to cover for him, he was my god damn Captain… The same damn guy who arrested me was the exact guy who was really guilty… The guy is a Spectre now, well was, he died in one of the Reaper attacks recently, but he's the reason I get all those favours, remember when you first joined and I got you working in our team even though it was totally against regs? Yeah that's how… Turns out you can put 'Spectre authority' behind anything and get whatever you want… And I used one of my favours to help out the daughter of the guy whose fault it was anyway; don't you humans have a word for that? Irony or something?" She questioned without really wanting an answer Isabelle just stood in utter shock staring at her almost unsure of what to say.

"Julia, I'm so sorry…" She barely breathed out but Julia cut her off with a swift raising of her hand.

"Don't Trufello… Don't pity me, you've said your piece, I know how you feel about me." She hissed Isabelle shook her head.

"Yeah but Jules that was in the heat of the moment I didn't even-"

"Just leave Trufello…" She growled out. "I need some space right now." Isabelle decided it was probably best not to push the matter she just bit her tongue and left the room heading down to the boys' room once more she sighed as she gently knocked on the door, Stark was quick to answer.

"I've been kicked out… Can I stay here tonight?" She asked Stark's eyes became even smaller then they already were as he glared at her.

"Can't you stay somewhere else?" He growled not really wanting his room mate and his girlfriend sleeping next to him.

"No, I have no other friends but you guys, come on Stark I promise I'll be good." Isabelle smiled the sweetest smile she could muster.

"Damn it I always knew befriending you and Julia was a bad idea… You should never trust females who don't have any female friends… They have nobody to go to when they want somewhere to stay." He growled but opened the door so she could enter she smiled at him.

"Thank you… I do have female friends though… Just not on this station." She mumbled as she approached Stuart who was in the process of getting ready for bed. Isabelle climbed into the small single bed before he did squishing herself up against the wall so he could fit in too.

"Yeah well if I hear any inkling of you two making any kind of weird human mating rituals you're out of here Smith!" He growled using the fake name that he had got so used to.

"You know I might just do it just to see the awkward way you would try to break up a 'human mating ritual'" Isabelle giggled settling her head into Stuart's arm nook as he climbed into the bed smirking at Stark and Isabelle's conversation.

"You wouldn't dare…" Stark growled glaring at Isabelle, who just poked her tongue out at him as he shut off the lights and climbed into bed himself. Isabelle snuggled into Stuart's arms a sad sigh escaped her lips.

"Don't worry Belle, she'll get over it eventually..." Stuart whispered into Isabelle's head she just smothered her face into his chest.

"I know..." She mumbled out. "Stu..." She said after a pause Stuart just made a sleepy moan like sound in response.

"I miss shore leave..." She whispered to him sadly he just let out a laugh kissing the top of her head.

"Me too, how about next time I'll take you some where hot?" He asked Isabelle nodded into his body.

"Virmire that's like a beach planet from what I've heard..." She whispered sleepily Stuart laughed again and nodded.

"Virmire it is..." He spoke in a hushed voice moving slightly so that Isabelle was snuggled into his arms.

"If you two are done picking out holiday destinations could you kindly shut up so I can get some sleep?" Stark spoke loudly to the pair causing them both to snigger.

"Sorry..." Isabelle whispered at him but continued to giggle silently with Stuart.

So it turned out that sleeping on a tiny single bed beside Stuart was actually unbelievably comfortable to Isabelle and she somehow managed to have the best night's sleep she'd ever had while aboard the Sub. Unfortunately the same could not be said for Stuart as the only reason Isabelle even woke up was because she thought that the bed had come to life in the night and was moving beneath her but it was actually just that she was lying, almost fully, on top of Stuart which wasn't entirely comfortable for him and he had been trying to slowly make his way out from under her without waking her when he did just that.

"Sorry I didn't mean to wake you…" He said quietly Isabelle groggily smiled at him.

"It's okay, I didn't mean to sleep _on_ you…" She laughed.

"Well just so you both know it was really quite humorous for me so thanks…" Starks voice came from the other side of the room Isabelle gently rubbed her tired eyes and looked at him, fully dressed in his armour already and just stood watching the pair.

"Wilson has been awake for an hour already; he only started struggling half an hour ago though, that's when it got really funny…" Stark laughed his mandibles flicking round his mouth.

"Yeah, yeah laugh it up Stark!" Isabelle grumbled as Stuart climbed out of the bed. "You Turian's and your strange sleeping patterns, I don't know how you manage to function with such little amount of sleep." Isabelle grumbled falling back into the now vacant bed.

"We just aren't lazy…" He grumbled "Anyway Smith I've just gone across the hall and invited Julia to breakfast so you can get in the room and do whatever it is you humans do in the mornings." He spoke as he walked across the floor and left the room.

"That was nice of him, to get Julia out the room for me…" Isabelle sat up as she spoke to Stuart.

"Yeah I think that was probably more for his benefit…" He laughed as he pulled on some pants Isabelle couldn't help the smirk that suddenly rose to her lips as she knelt on the bed so she was closer to Stuart's height.

"You know with Stark gone we could…" One of her eyebrows raised as she reached out to Stuart and hooked her finger under the top of his trousers he smiled at her.

"I'm not entirely sure I know what you're getting at here Angel…" He mumbled as he allowed her to pull him over so he was stood next to the bed in front of her, Isabelle's head came to the middle of his torso so she had to move her head to look up at him

"I think…" She started kissing his chest as she spoke, her lips slowly but clearly moving down his stomach. "You know…" She continued as her lips gently detoured around his belly button finding the hilt of his trousers she allowed her hands to move to his thighs gently rubbing up them as her tongue gently moved across his trouser line.

"Exactly what I'm talking about…" She whispered her eyes moving to lock with his once more as her fingers found their way to his zipper she stared at him as though asking permission his face was begging yes but she could see his eyes were saying something different he suddenly but gently moved his hands to her cheeks and raised her head back up so he could lean down and gently, even sweetly, kiss her.

"I would… More than love to carry on your train of thought angel but we have a mission in like…" Stuart looked at the watch strapped to his wrist. "Less than half an hour and we still need to have some food." He explained Isabelle's lips moved into an oval shape.

"We have a mission today?" She whined as her lips twitched into a pout "With Julia?"

"Yes we're working with Julia today Belle… Please don't make it harder then it's already going to be…" Stuart grumbled as he went back to getting dressed.

"I won't if she doesn't." Isabelle grumbled in return as she finally stood out of his bed and, still wearing the clothes from the night before, as getting any less clothed made Stark nervous, she walked out of the room and back to her own so she too could change into her armour.

After a quick breakfast Stuart and Isabelle got to the hanger bay before Julia and Stark, who Stuart was quick to mention must have stayed with Julia all morning.

"Well you saw how they were at the Citadel when we were there Stu, I think they're pretty much a couple now it's only them who won't see it." Isabelle mumbled not enjoying the conversation. "Besides you really think the night we spent together that those two just said goodnight at the door and went their separate ways? I doubt it." She continued.

"I suppose… Though I doubt they had as fun a night as we did!" Stuart grinned to Isabelle as they climbed on to their shuttle Isabelle let out a smirk as her eyes locked with his she tiptoed to grant him a quick peck on the lips as they stood in the doorway of the shuttle.

"Urgh…" They heard from beside them Isabelle moved away from Stuart to find Stark and Julia stood there; Julia had a disgusted look on her face.

"Always the kissing with you two, don't you ever get a room?!" She grumbled at them just as Isabelle went to spit back a nasty remark Stuart pulled her into her seat giving her a stern look as he sat down beside her. The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful the two women barely said a word to anyone let alone each other as Stuart and Stark talked to each other about their upgraded guns and shield capacitors.

"As far as we can tell this mission is fairly simple, get in get our package, get out. In fact as far as Intel can tell you might not even come across any hostile action in this one…" The shuttle comms spoke out.

"Damn, right when I'm in the mood to shoot something too…" Julia growled a glare being thrown over at Isabelle.

"This is an old military instillation on Tuchanka that was in Cerberus hands until our forces scrubbed them out. As far as we can tell the first team in pretty much took care of all hostiles in the area you're the second team in and you're only going down to try and get a grasp of what was happening down there and what Cerberus' planning for Tuchanka." The intercom explained as Isabelle pulled on her helmet the voice moving from the shuttles comms to her helmet.

"Hopefully you won't meet any resistance, good luck." It spoke out the last time before shutting off as the shuttle pulled down into the landing zone Isabelle was the first off jumping down into the thick dust of the wasteland that was Tuchanka. The four split up each covering their own area in search for the terminal they were looking for, Isabelle took the large open area passing across it fairly quickly she glanced down a slope on her left to find Julia looking back up at her from the bottom Isabelle turned back to look ahead walking up a ramp and into a less open area.

"I've got some terminals here, doesn't look like there's any info on them though." She called through her comms as she vaulted over the desks that the interface was built into to get a better look.

"I don't like this… It's quiet." Stark spoke back.

"Too quiet." Stuart chimed in from his vantage point. "Be on your guard." He grumbled out once Isabelle was certain that the two terminals she had discovered were dead she spun to look behind her only to come face to face with Julia, startled at first both girls raised their guns only to lower them when they realised.

"You scared me." Isabelle hissed out.

"It's clear over here Wilson, no hostiles." Julia called through heading back down her ramp.

"I think I've got our terminal over here!" Stark called over, Isabelle followed Julia to Stark's position, a small laptop was sat open on a structural reinforcement beam, a design feature that was apparently adored by the Krogan judging by the place they were in. Stark was tapping away on it as the girls covered the two ramps Stuart suddenly appeared at the top of the one Isabelle was covering.

"Let's get that data and get out of here." He grumbled setting himself up to take a good sniping position up there. Just as the bleep came out and the blue glow radiated out of the laptop to inform everyone of how far they could stand before they were out of range something near Stuart caught Isabelle's eye. A Phantom closing in on him from behind Isabelle felt her feet start moving before she felt her lips move.

"STU WATCH YOUR SIX!" She screamed running towards him firing bullets just over his shoulder but the Phantom was tricky and skilled she managed to move in such a way that she positioned herself so Stuart was between her and Isabelle luckily though Isabelle's distraction gave Stuart enough time to vault over his cover and hide behind the other side instead as bullets suddenly started to rain down on them. Isabelle slid into the same cover as Stuart as she waited for her shields, which had been half brought down by the Phantom, to regenerate.

"You okay?" She asked Stuart he nodded swiftly.

"Yeah, thanks." He whispered as the pair assessed the situation realising that their view of everywhere had suddenly been obstructed by smoke it was just everywhere they couldn't even see Julia and Stark.

"This was a god damn trap!" Julia yelled from below them.

"They rigged the systems Wilson! This was a dud terminal!" Stark yelled over the gun fire.

"What?! Fuck!" Stuart growled as he finally managed to get a decent head shot on the Phantom.

"They must have been piggybacking off the actual data though; it would have been obvious otherwise…" Stark explained as Isabelle heard Julia grunt in pain.

"Watch Sands back Stark don't worry about the data!" Isabelle growled over the comms.

"No… We need it." Stuart growled gaining a glare from Isabelle as she threw out an overly powerful warp at an engineer who was just setting up a turret in front of them blowing him and the turret up.

"So it's gotta be somewhere in the vicinity right Stark?" Stuart asked.

"Right." The Turian replied distractedly and the loud grenade explosion allowed Isabelle to put the pieces together.

"Belle where did you say those other terminals were?" Stuart asked Isabelle as he reloaded his gun.

"Up in that building but there is very little cover from here to there Stu-"

"I'm not failing this mission Isabelle." He growled back.

"But we've walked into a trap Stuart; it would be completely acceptable for you to-"

"Don't worry guys you have your little domestic while we get our asses kicked." Julia growled over the comms.

"There's no discussing this now head straight for that wall I'll cover you." Stuart spoke to Isabelle pointing out some cover Isabelle didn't move at first. "Move it Smith." He grumbled gaining him another glare from Isabelle just as she side slipped out of the cover running towards the cover he pointed out only to run into the sights of a turret which tore down her shields easily before she just managed to reach her cover as she got behind it however she came face to face with an Assault trooper who was quicker with his melee hitting her side with his electrical baton.

"FUCK!" Isabelle screamed as she took the hit without shields knocking her back slightly when she quickly regained her composure she punched him with a biotic hit so hard it sent him flying into a wall.

"You alright Belle?!" Stuart suddenly asked.

"I'm fine, move I'm covering you!" She growled out as Stuart suddenly ran towards her she shot out the turret before the pair ran the rest of the stretch to the upper room. Unfortunately Cerberus were clever and since Isabelle had left the area earlier the room had gained quite the defence around it. The pair had to take out a turret at the top of the ramp leading into the room before they could even get to the doorway, just as the turret exploded into pieces and Stuart charged up to take cover in the door way from the room full of troops Isabelle shot a look down the other ramp checking on Stark and Julia who seemed to be heading up to the same room as Stu and Isabelle getting the enemy in a pincer attack, Isabelle made sure to make this known to Stu in the form of various hand gestures he nodded when she finished. Stuart then pulled out a grenade from one of his packs and threw it into the room in the disaster that followed he and Isabelle then tore into the room shooting everyone they set their eyes on until only Stark and Julia appeared in front of them Isabelle and Julia had their guns pointed at each other again.

"That's twice now Trufello, third times the charm right?" She growled out a human saying in such an uncharacteristic tone it made Isabelle glare at her before Stuart broke the unpleasant reunion.

"Right, now we're downloading the actual information…" He said as the blue glow lit everyone's faces. "I've got a good vantage point up here," He motioned to the window beside him. "So long as I have two people covering me, Stark you and Sands take the right, Stark stay close to me, Sands, you do what you do best." He nodded to her she grinned wildly arming her shot gun. "Isabelle you'll be on my left, I should be able to help you out a little more than the others but do not stray too far from me, got it?" He grumbled she didn't speak just gave a curt nod before moving into position. Just in time too as she looked round the doorway to the ramp an engineer was setting up another turret at the bottom she grumbled something about them having way too many engineers before tearing into it with her gun blowing it up easily.

"The download's going to be slow with only me here to man it but as long as it's done what who cares how long it takes right?" Stuart spoke with a bit less of his bluntness that he had before as Isabelle walked down to the wall they were taking cover at before.

"That's far enough Smith, I wouldn't go any further from me if I were you." Stuart's voice reached her ears over the comms system in her helmet and she rolled her eyes as she biotically threw an unshielded guardian into a wall, she translated Stuart's words into 'don't go any further or else.' So she stayed put for the moment watching Julia bound around the map in a biotic blur demolishing everything she appeared in front of. Isabelle glared at her being allowed to move freely through the map with Stuart telling her off then Isabelle spotted an Assault Trooper who had managed to slip through the cracks of Julia's little tirade unfortunately he was being quite clever with his covering positions and Isabelle couldn't get a good eye on him. She glanced at the just as good but slightly further away wall that she could hide behind in front of her, she could get a great angle from there. A glance up to Stuart to see he was concentrated the other way allowed her to freely move ahead. Just as she got a good aim of the troopers head she heard Stu's voice.

"Dammit Belle didn't I tell you to stay put?" He grumbled to her she just glared at the unawares trooper as she squeezed the trigger.

"It's fine Stu, he was just being a slippery little bastard I'll move back right—" But before she even got to turn back around she heard a loud mechanical bang come from behind her rocking the ground under her feet and cutting her off from Stuart.

"ISABELLE!" He yelled as she turned around just in time to see the missile heading straight for her she jumped backwards but the missile hit the ground where her feet were seconds ago sending Isabelle flying backwards and smashing into a wall she yelped out as pain shot through her back and felt herself lull as her surroundings went dark.


	16. Chapter 16

16.

"_Oh Stu…" She whispered the resemblance to her mother's old necklace was uncanny to the point that it nearly brought tears to Isabelle's eyes._

"_I know it's not silver chained like your mother's one was but when I saw that gem I just had to buy it…"_

"Smith! Smith! GOD DAMMIT TRUFELLO WAKE UP!" The worry in the strong voice roused Isabelle tearing her from her wonderful memory that she was sure was happening again until she felt the world shake beneath her, felt the pain rush through her body and the loud sound of an explosion in the distance, her eyes fluttered open to find Stark stood above her shooting something behind him.

"She's alright Wilson. She's moving!" He called through the comms as Isabelle pulled her body off the floor only to get the unbearable pain again a yell came out of her lips.

"Come on Smith, I know it hurts but you gotta get up!" Stark growled to her pulling her arm round his shoulder and lifting her to her feet as he shot a trooper dead in between the eyes.

"Sands! Where are you?! Get your ass to the landing zone, you heard Stuart the mission's over!" Stark spoke into his comms now but Isabelle frowned blurry at the battlefield.

"Mission's over?" She questioned in a dreary voice her eyes landing on Stuart across the courtyard being blocked by an Atlas brought her to and before Stark knew it she was bursting rounds into the back of the Atlas which was quickly gaining on Stuart's position.

"Two minutes, just two more minutes!" Julia's voice came over the comms now as Stark moved Isabelle into a position where she could lean against a wall and take cover.

"We don't have two minutes Sands! Get over here or I'm coming to you!" Stark growled over throwing a grenade at the Atlas which quickly got its attention over to him and Isabelle who threw a warp at its weak armoured state.

"No!" Julia growled out. "Stay there all of you! I'll be there before the shuttle, I promise Stark!" She spoke just as the Atlas blew up and within seconds Stuart had made his way to Isabelle's side his hand slipping round her waist but she could stand alone now with only slight pain she assumed the adrenaline was kicking in.

"The mission's over?" She asked him he nodded.

"When I saw you get hit by the Atlas blast, I thought… I thought the worst had happened I called for a shuttle straight away, told them we were ambushed." Stuart explained as Stark held back the forces.

"I'm going to get Sands, you two will be okay here right Wilson?" Stark broke in Stuart shook his head.

"I can't let you do that Stark." Stuart said. "It's crawling with Cerberus over there, you'll get yourself killed."

"But Julia's over there… You're not suggesting that we just leave her?…" Stark growled out through the gap in Stuart's helmet Isabelle could see Stuart's beautiful eyes fall informing her that that's exactly what he was suggesting.

"Go Stark." Julia growled over the intercom, suddenly a lot of things started happening at once, another Atlas and an entire army worth of Cerberus troops, phantoms, guardians and all turned up very close to Julia's position, the shuttle for extraction appeared and Julia started asking about the data as Isabelle and Stuart started working on taking out enemies across the courtyard in hopes that Julia would still survive and come running across any minute.

"I won't leave you Julia!" Stark growled out being especially violent with his shots stepping forward as though preparing to cross the killing zone that the court yard had now become.

"Has the data turned up?" Julia asked again.

"Who cares Julia?! GET DOWN HERE!" Stark yelled, Isabelle had never seen him like this as she pumped a few bullets into a Phantom she caught Stu's hand holding Stark back from running to get Julia.

"Julia the data doesn't matter! Get over here!" Isabelle grunted out agreeing with Stark.

"The data Stark! Do you have it?!" Julia started to sound out of breath and in pain Isabelle's hopes lifted thinking maybe she was out of breath because she was running to them, suddenly a message appeared across her visor.

'Data received, directing back to base.'

"That doesn't matter Julia!" Stark was screaming at her.

"Yes, it's arrived Julia, thank you…" Stuart said in a soft voice gaining a glare from Stark.

"You!? You sent her to do this shit?!" Stark yelled at him turning on him Isabelle moved as he did taking out the enemies that were shooting at them allowing the pair to distract themselves with petty arguments. That was until Julia's voice cut through it the pain in her voice quickly snapped Stark out of his angry stupor.

"Stark… Stark are you listening!?" She growled he turned back to the opening across the courtyard as though she was there.

"Yes." He barely whispered, the realisation that he was fighting a losing battle setting in.

"I love you Stark," She whispered her out of breath voice was getting more and more shaky.

"GET OUT OF THERE JULIA!" Stark yelled seemingly using his last bit of energy on those words as he suddenly fell to the ground his shoulders shuddering, Isabelle had never seen a Turian cry and it was not a pleasant sight.

"Rookie…" Julia whispered it took Isabelle a second to realise she was talking to her.

"Jules… I'm coming for you… Please…" Isabelle barely spoke into her comms as she stepped forward.

"No, Rookie, don't risk it… You need medical attention as it is, we can't both die out here…" Julia's voice was strange, and her words tore through Isabelle like a knife Julia has already realised her fate accepted it even and her normal excited enthusiastic tone was now just calm a state Isabelle did not often find her best friend in.

"Julia… Please…" Isabelle whispered as she felt the pain take over her body tears threatened the edges of her eyes as her hands balled into fists biotically demolishing anything she waved them towards.

"I-I just wanted to say I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Rookie, I didn't mean half the shit I said last night…" Isabelle cut her off.

"There's nothing to be sorry about Jules, I'm the one who was in the wrong, I love you Julia Sands, and you've been a true sister to me…" Isabelle said as the pain became unbearable and she toppled to one side out of view from enemy fire she allowed the tears that were threatening to leave to slip down her face. A pang in her chest informed her just what she was loosing here, her only ally on the Sub, her best friend, the woman she'd spent countless nights awake until god knows when just laughing with, she wouldn't be seeing that smile ever again, Julia was her best friend... Her sister in arms.

"I love you too… Both of you…" She spoke to Isabelle and Stark now as Stuart slipped Isabelle's arm over his shoulder and helped her back to the shuttle. Isabelle realised that the adrenaline rush was wearing off and the pain from her back was there once more though it was only numbed by the pain of losing Julia. Stark still huddled on the floor as they all heard Julia's last words a flashing image on Isabelle's visor told her Julia's vitals were low.

"I love you Stark... I love you so much…" She spoke rushed as though she knew she was near to the end then suddenly a long high pitched beep told everyone she was gone. Isabelle sat in the shuttle waiting while Stuart fought Stark in too, she tore off the helmet and threw it across the shuttle not wanting to see the words any more 'Team mate JULIA SANDS has flat lined. Mission has been scrubbed.'

As soon as the shuttle takes off Isabelle breaks down, tears stream down her face. She painfully pulls her legs to her chest hugging into them as she silently cries in the corner hoping neither of the boys will speak to her.

"It's your fault you know…" Stark growls out in a tone so unlike his own it takes a glance over her knees and in his direction for Isabelle to believe it was actually him speaking. When she realises his eyes are on Stuart she prepares herself for an argument.

"Don't you dare Stark…" Stuart grumbles back to him Isabelle can tell from his words he hasn't raised his head to look at his Turian friend.

"It is though… If you hadn't been so adamant about that stupid data Julia would never have separated herself from the group that far, she would have stayed with us and we would all be on this shuttle right now." Stark pushed.

"So you suggest I should have just given up the second something unexpected happened?! That from now on every time we're surprised by an attack I should just lay down my arms and give up? There are casualties in war Stark, get used to it." Stuart said his voice completely flat but Isabelle could tell that even he realised his last comment was far too harsh but before he could respite it Stark was already on his feet his talons gripped around Stuart's armour easily lifting him out of his seat.

"SHE WASN'T JUST A CASUALTY WILSON! SHE WAS YOUR CASUALTY UNDER YOUR LEAD AND IT WAS YOUR FAULT!" Stark growled into his face Isabelle just watched in shock from behind her knees before she realised whose fault it truly was; her own.

"She knew what she was going into Stark! She was the one who suggested she stay behind for the data while I came to yours and Isabelle's aid!" Stuart spat back struggling slightly against Stark's hold.

"It was my fault…" Isabelle whispered behind her knees but it was easily unheard by the pair as Starks next fury filled words filled the air.

"She never would have suggested throwing her life away for data if it wasn't for you Stuart!" Stark yelled one of his talons moving to sharply point directly into Stuart's face.

"It was _my_ fault!" Isabelle said with a little more ferocity but it was still ignored as now Stuart's eyes rested on Stark's sharp knife like talon in his face.

"You gonna use that Stark? Get yourself locked up? You think that's what Julia would want?" Stuart growled at him.

"DON'T SAY HER NAME!" Stark yelled his arm pulling back to punch Stuart but before he got there Isabelle suddenly jumped from her seat tears once more streaming down her face as she pushed the pair apart.

"IT WAS _MY_ FAULT!" She screamed at them before falling to the floor and hiding her face in her hands. The pair stopped and stared at her for a moment shock taking over their bodies as though they had completely forgotten she was even there. Then Stuart glared over to Stark who returned the look but moved and stood away from them.

"It's not your fault Angel…" Stuart's voice was slow and gentle as he moved to his knees and placed his arm around Isabelle but she shook it off.

"It is my fault, if- if I hadn't pushed forward…" Her voice was cracking through the tears. "If I had just left that trooper for Julia to kill I never would have been separated from the group and you guys wouldn't have had to come save me…" She sniffed but allowed her eyes to move to Stuarts as he shook his head.

"You cannot think that Isabelle, if you hadn't moved forward none of us would have got out of there, we would have been overrun in that tiny room and we all would have been killed…" He moved his hand under her chin and raised it to look at him. "We managed to get out of there because of you…" He spoke gently but she shook her head.

"Well… Well then I shouldn't have fought with Julia last night, if I hadn't, if we had still been friends this morning then she would have been over to help me… To protect me…" She mumbled Stuart sighed.

"Then that would have left Stark on the controls, you really think he would have left that data there?" Isabelle shook her head at Stu's words. "Me neither because him and Julia are both made of that brave, stubborn stuff that me and you are made of… Either way we would have been leaving someone behind today Isabelle… Please don't beat yourself up about this."

"Maybe it should have been me… I wish it'd been me…" Stark spoke up from the other side of the shuttle this made Isabelle raise her head once more she looked at the wounded Turian and a great rush of guilt and a new found admiration washed over her. He was just live her, if not worse off, they had both lost someone they truly loved, Isabelle a sister, Stark a lover. She pulled herself up off the floor and with great effort, and a little help from Stuart, she made it over to Stark for a few moments they just stood there not speaking. Then when his eyes raised to her own Isabelle pulled him in for a hug and she stood there for at least half the ride home hugging Stark and silently crying into his shoulder. Nothing else was said on whose fault it was that day.

When they arrived Isabelle was quickly rushed off to the Med-bay and for two days an anxious Stuart had to continue his work being carted off to different locations with Stark and two different faces that he didn't even take the time to get to know. As he nervously stepped off the shuttle at the end of the second day he was delighted to look through the Med-bay windows and see Isabelle sitting up and awake. He practically mowed people down as he rushed to the doors and into the bay.

"Angel!" His voice blurted out as soon as he was close enough to her Isabelle looked at him with a sad smile as he slipped his hand into hers. "Are you okay?" He asked she nodded but before she could speak the Doctor interrupted Stuart hadn't even noticed she was in the room.

"She's fine Private Wilson, she has a few broken ribs and will need to be resting for at least a month but other than that she's okay." The Doctor explained to him Stuart smiled at her then at Isabelle.

"Thank you Doc." He said hoping she would take his dismissal and leave which luckily she did.

"How are you, really?" He asked as soon as the door that lead to the doctor's office was closed Isabelle's eyes wouldn't reach Stuart's as she spoke.

"She's gone Stu… That's all I keep thinking about… She's gone." She whispered Stuart frowned almost forgetting who she was talking about for a second.

"You can't tear yourself up about it Isabelle… There was nothing we could do and she certainly wouldn't want to see you acting like this…" He said sliding himself on to the bed beside her and smiling but her eyes still wouldn't rise from staring at a loose bit of thread on her blanket that she was twisting around one of her finger tips until it went purple.

"I can't just forget it Stu!" She hissed her hands suddenly sliding to her sides as she glared up at Stuart who was shocked to see his girlfriend's beautiful emerald coloured eyes were red and blood shot from all the tears she has shed.

"Is—"

"I can't forget it and seeing you and Stark is just making it harder… So please Stu… maybe it's best if you leave." Isabelle's voice was barely a whisper by the end of her sentence and Stuart took a moment to register what she was asking him to do. After thirty seconds of painful silence he stood his eyes falling to the floor before he silently left the room.

Stuart continuously visited Isabelle for two weeks straight but there was no change she was still just as upset and inconsolable as ever, refusing to speak, to look at him, the Doctor even had to call him down one late night when she had refused to eat all day with a lot of coercion from him he somehow got her to have a bite of food. She was in an absolute state and Stuart had no way of being able to tear her out of it, he even considered calling her father but didn't want to bother him unless it was absolutely necessary.

"I'm getting sick of repeating myself Isabelle! It wasn't your fault!" Stuart growled at her for what felt like the hundredth time that day as she glared out the window of the med bay at all the people coming in and out of the shuttles something she had become quite fond of doing.

"If you're getting sick of telling me stop telling me." She spoke in that horrible monotone uncaring voice she had seemingly woken up with one day and not broken out of. Stuart hated it, it wasn't Isabelle it wasn't her upbeat always happy tone that he loved so much.

"Isabelle stop it, you need to break out of this!" He mumbled knowing she wouldn't listen.

"Sorry to disturb you…" The Doctor had appeared and had quite the red tint to her face at having to interrupt the obvious argument. "But Isabelle is almost completely healed now; she can walk and is being discharged back to her own room…" The Doctor explained. "In fact it's good that you're here Wilson, you can help her down there." She smiled brightly handing Stuart a few of Isabelle's things before giving Isabelle some clothes to change into.

The pair walked to Isabelle's room in silence though annoying as it is Isabelle does have to lean on Stu for support so although they aren't speaking she still has her arm interlocked with his. As they approach Isabelle's room she glares at the door the last thing she wants to do is be back in that room with all those constant reminders of Julia in it, although Stu said they had cleared out her stuff already Isabelle still knew that she would only need to see the empty bed to miss her best friend.

"Isabelle before we go in I need to say this... We were all there Belle, all three of us were there on the ground when what happened to Julia happened and I know that you feel worse about it because she was your best friend and you feel like you should have been able to stop it... And I really want to help you through this in any way I can! Because I really care about you Angel and I'm missing not having you, the real you around all the time. But you have to remember that two more people on this ship feel the pain you're going through and you can come to either of us any time you need to." He smiled at her, his million dollar smile that would make any girls knees weak. Not Isabelle's though, she just returned a faint shadow of a smile but Stuart was still pleased, it was the closest he'd seen her to being happy since the incident.

"Thank you..." She barely whispered before walking past him and to the door that now felt slightly easier to walk through. Isabelle opened the door with a glum smile one that fell off of her face and became a look of shock when her eyes landed on the back of an Asari stood in the middle of her room again.

"J-Jules...?" She barely whispered tears forming at the brims of her eyelids but when the Asari turned to look at her Isabelle realised it was not her good friend Julia back from the dead, this Asari did not share the same soft eyes or flawless looks. No this Asari looked nasty and rude and even as her lips pulled into a smile at Isabelle the Latino girl still saw that same look she used to see in high school girls back home that horrible hint of fakeness and back stabbing.

"You must be Isabelle!" She spoke her voice raspy and sickly sweet. Isabelle didn't answer her but just glared in a nasty way at the imposter, the unwanted guest in place of her friend. Then this imposters eyes landed on something behind Isabelle and her eyes softened, her smile broadened in a way of acknowledgement and when Isabelle looked back to realise that Stuart was sharing a familiar look of recognition, though his was far more confused, Isabelle's chest tightened when the next words were spoken.

"Wilson! Well haven't I missed your sexy little face..." The imposter said with a flirtatious giggle as she crossed the room passing Isabelle and coming to Stuart, she threw her arms around him in a hug that he did not return, if it had not been for the shock of the situation (and the fact that she was only just getting over some broken bones) Isabelle would have ripped the girl apart in a biotic rage.

"That's right... Hanna? Isn't it?" Stuart spoke now Isabelle stared at him in shock but he just shrugged at her as this 'Hanna' pulled away from their too long hug.

"That's right you remember me!" Isabelle couldn't see her face but she could tell she was smiling like a Cheshire cat about to get it's cream Isabelle decided it was about time she stepped in to stop this girl flirting outrageously with her boyfriend.

"You know her?" Isabelle moved now so she was beside the pair slightly standing in front of Stuart so she was stood between them by just that little bit.

"Oh of course he does!" The Hanna girls eyes fell on to Isabelle now and they had a hint of glare behind them. "We go _way_ back..." She whispered at Isabelle who just continued to glare at her.

"I don't really know her that well..." Stuart began trying to dig his way out of the hole he'd fallen into. Hanna took this moment to turn away from the conversation busying herself with something else in the room.

"We both served on the Provenance together that's all..." Stuart explained only to be cut off.

"Yeah until that unfortunate accident you had that ended up getting you on this ship... That sucked." Hanna spoke before Stuart could stop her and it quickly dawned on Isabelle that Hanna knew his secret, Hanna knew why he was on this ship, a girl he barely even knew had that information but not his own girlfriend?! Isabelle was furious her eyes turned to fire as she glared at Stuart so hard she honestly thought he would burst into flames. She refused to let Hanna know that she had that kind of power over her though so she breathed out and looked back over to Hanna with the most fraudulent smile she could muster.

"Nice meeting you Hanna, I'm going to get some food." Isabelle growled out before storming from the room with an apologetic Stuart following her.

"I'm so sorry Belle I had no idea-" He stopped speaking when Isabelle's hand swiftly raised up in front of him.

"Stop Stu... Just stop right there, I don't want to know, right now I don't want to even be looking at you!" Isabelle hissed at him.

"But Belle, you can't... I didn't even-"

"Just stop! Please! For now... Just leave me alone Stuart." She barely whispered before frowning at the floor, turning and walking away from him, she wasn't sure how she felt about the fact that she didn't hear his footfalls behind her.


	17. Chapter 17

17.

A week went by without more then a few words shared between Isabelle and Stuart she felt utterly betrayed and was struggling to even look at him without crying. Her feelings were all the more magnified by the fact that she had _nobody. _There was no Julia there to comfort her and tell her everything was going to be okay, the only person she had in replacement was Hanna who wasn't making any thing any easier. She had joined the new team now so not only did Isabelle have to put up with her in her room but she also had to put up with her at work she did everything she could to stay away from Hanna but that only seemed to push Hanna closer to Stuart which she didn't want either. She couldn't help but feel completely alone even on the now insanely crowded ship. Isabelle lay in her bed one morning just staring into space this had become a regular occurrence she'd stay in bed for as long as Hanna was in the breakfast hall then the second she got back Isabelle would go get her breakfast it would often make her late for missions but she didn't care because it meant she could be away from that witch Hanna. This time though Hanna seemed adamant on staying at breakfast until the very last second Isabelle even put all her armour on so she would be ready to go straight to the shuttles as soon as she'd finished just as she was pulling on her arm piece Hanna walked in. Isabelle was quick to jump out of bed and act like she was just leaving as she nearly walked into Hanna at the door.

"Oh sorry..." Hanna said holding out the door for Isabelle who just nodded and walked through it just as she was about to disappear down the hall though Hanna grabbed her wrist.

"Sorry, it's Isabelle right?"

"Smith." Isabelle corrected her, only friends got to use her first name, Hanna was not her friend.

"Oh right Smith... I can't help but get this feeling you have some kind of problem with me... I mean I've been living here for a week now and this is the longest conversation we've had... Can I ask what I've done?" Hanna questioned Isabelle just frowned but as she looked up to Hanna she didn't feel sorry or guilty for the way she'd treated the Asari she only felt hatred towards her.

"You wouldn't understand even if I told you..." Isabelle hissed at her before tearing her hand out of the Asari's grip and walking away.

As Isabelle sat down at a table to eat the cold remains of breakfast she couldn't help but let a sigh escape her lips, maybe she was being too mean to Hanna after all she hasn't actually _done_ anything to Isabelle she just seems to be the root of all Isabelle's problems. She sighed again her plastic fork lightly poking the dried out scrambled eggs she'd piled on to her plate. Although it wasn't Hanna's fault that Julia was no longer around and it wasn't her fault that she just happened to be the same species as her.

"I see I'm not the only late starter." Isabelle heard a whispy concealed voice come from beside her she frowned and looked up to find two bright but hidden eyes staring back at her. A male Quarian had joined her at the table and she hadn't even noticed Isabelle shook her head.

"I'm sorry what?" She asked she'd been so wrapped up in her life she hadn't even properly heard him.

"I said you're a late starter too? I've barely got out of bed and it's almost time for me to be off on a mission." He laughed, Isabelle always found Quarians an interesting race they spent so much time inside those suits she wondered if they would even remember what touch felt like. They started joining the subversion from day one though they didn't get many before, now they're all over the place though they know what it's like to live aboard a ship all your life.

"Ha yeah..." Isabelle mumbled out. "Actually I'm always up early I just, uh, I don't like my room mate." She laughed pathetically realising just how childish she must sound.

"Oh that kind of issue huh?" He asked Isabelle nodded. "You could always get a room transfer you know? My buddy Yortak got one not long ago." He explained Isabelle was shocked that she hadn't thought of that before.

"Thank you for the advice... My name's Isabelle, it's nice to meet you." She smiled holding out her hand it took the Quarian a moment before he took her hand in his own three fingered one and shook it.

"The name's Rick... Well it's Ric'Quila but I've heard from you humans that Rick is easier to say." Rick explained and Isabelle felt herself laugh, actually whole heartedly laugh, she hadn't done that in weeks.

"It's great to meet you Rick." She smiled he nodded.

"You too Isabelle though I think we should probably cut this short, I've got a mission to get to and I imagine you do too!" She nodded again as they said their farewells and headed off to the shuttle bay. Isabelle got there late and only just managed to jump on the shuttle before it took off she jumped into the first seat she saw which just happened to be beside Stuart.

"Where were you?" He growled in a too aggressive tone Isabelle frowned at him.

"Eating breakfast." She said bluntly.

"Oh yeah with your new Quarian buddy?" Isabelle turned to face him for that one.

"What?! How did you even? I literally just met him!" Isabelle hissed out.

"I was looking for you and went in there to see you laughing at his jokes..." Stuart hissed back Isabelle shook her head at him.

"I can't believe this... This is the longest conversation we've had in a week and it's about some Quarian I've _just_ met?! This is so stupid! And you know what?! Yes I was laughing he made me laugh, for the first time in almost _two months_ I laughed! I'm sorry if that's not okay with you!" Isabelle was practically yelling at him now uncaring that Stark and Hanna were sitting just inches away listening in. Stuart went silent for a long time and Isabelle could tell he was feeling guilty for picking such a pathetic fight over nothing just as they pulled up to the place for the next mission he spoke.

"I'm sorry Isabelle..." He barely mumbled Isabelle just rolled her eyes.

"You know what? Just forget it Stuart..." She hissed before jumping out of the shuttle to focus on the mission.

The mission finished with no serious issues and other then resisting the urge to shoot Stuart in the face every time Isabelle saw him she had no real problems, overall the mission was a success. Isabelle couldn't even fathom how anxious she was to get off of the shuttle that night though as if the air wasn't cold enough as it was with her and Hanna on there but now that she was arguing with Stu too it was near freezing point by the time Isabelle burst out of the shuttle door and into the bay. She made a bee line for upstairs almost knocking a few guys down in the process before she was caught just short of the elevator doors as Stuart got her wrist.

"Stu!" She said both shocked and a little angry as she turned to face him.

"I know you're mad, you don't want me to talk to you, whatever else you'd say right now but please Belle..." He stayed silent for a second as though testing to see if she'd actually let him talk, she did. "This whole not talking to you thing is killing me! Not knowing if we're together or not... I cannot take it..." Isabelle opened her mouth to speak but Stuart quickly quietened her. "And I know, you just need some time I understand, I do but please, for me, come to my room tonight? I have something that I think will help you decide what to do with me and you." He said with the sweetest grin he could muster Isabelle frowned at him.

"Stu... I don't know if that's a good idea-" He cut her off again.

"Please, for me... For us?" He said both his hands holding on to Isabelle's upper arms as she stared at him still with a worried frown on her face. "Don't make me beg Angel..." He grinned that grin that made girls weak at the knee Isabelle couldn't help the smile that came to her own face.

"Maybe... How's that?" She smiled to him.

"Better than a no." He breathed out smiling as she pulled herself from his grasp and walked away. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go see him later, she knew it'd just be another plea for their relationship and at this moment she wasn't sure how she felt about their relationship. If he was comfortable with all the people from his old ship, including Hanna who he now has to deal with on a day to day basis, knowing what he did that was so wrong it landed him on this ship then why couldn't he be comfortable with his own girlfriend knowing it? What does that say about their relationship really? She knew these were questions she should really be asking him but she wasn't sure if she was ready for the answers. Isabelle walked into her room so divulged in her own thoughts she completely forgot about the Asari who would be in there and was soon face to face with said Asari.

"Smith..." Hanna said as Isabelle entered Isabelle just stared at her for a moment before speaking.

"Hanna..." Isabelle just grumbled before pushing past the Asari and going to her bed taking her armour off as she walked, if it was Hanna's plan to hang around Isabelle was going to dinner.

"You know you've made it pretty clear that we're not friends..." Hanna spoke again Isabelle sighed making it visibly obvious she didn't want to talk to Hanna. "And yet you still call me by my 'first name' as you humans call it..." Isabelle glanced over her shoulder at Hanna.

"Your point is...?" She sighed wanting this conversation over as quick as possible.

"My _point_ is that you wont allow me to call you Isabelle, as we're not 'friends', yet think I'll be okay with you calling me Hanna?" She hissed Isabelle just sighed as she pulled off one of her boots.

"Alright well what's your last name?" She asked the Asari.

"Yutaro..." She stated.

"Great, Yutaro it is..." Isabelle said bluntly as she packed her armour back into her wardrobe.

"What? You mean to tell me the only reason you've been calling me Hanna this whole time is because you didn't know my last name?" She growled aggressively.

"Pretty much..." Isabelle briskly said as she closed her wardrobe doors.

"I live _and_ work with you and you haven't even _bothered_ to find out my last name?!" Hanna hissed really angry at Isabelle's lack of interest in not only her but the entire conversation.

"Yeah whatever, look Yutaro, you seem to be mistaking me for someone who cares..." Isabelle said as she crossed the room and went for the door. "And trust me I _really_ don't."

"Oh! You're leaving?!" Hanna said as Isabelle's hand reached the door handle Isabelle sighed at Hanna's sudden interest and dropped her hand.

"Only if you're not." She said turning to look at the Asari.

"Oh, well it's just that I had a question..." Hanna's sudden less aggressive tone gave Isabelle a bad feeling, the Latino frowned as she looked at her room mate.

"Another one?" She hissed.

"Well I was just wondering about yours and Stuart's relationship problems you seem to be going through at the moment... They don't happen to be because of _mine _and Stuart's relationship do they?" The smirk on the blue faced woman was quick to give away to Isabelle that this was Hanna's plan all along, she ambushed the Latina to piss her off about Stuart.

"Mine and Stuart's relationship has nothing to do with you, in any way, shape or form... And just for the record you and Stuart have no 'relationship'." Isabelle smirked right back, she felt she'd held her own very well against such an attack. Considering that the last girl who got involved with Isabelle and one of her ex-boyfriend's was sent to Huerta after slipping and getting her head biotically smashed into a concrete wall.

"Oh don't be so sure of that Smith... You see I want Stuart and I _will _move in on him while you two aren't together and I'm not the type of girl who doesn't get what she wants so I _will_ have him." She said shoulder barging past Isabelle and out of the front door leaving it open after her. It took every ounce of strength Isabelle had to hold down the biotic flare she had in her chest and if it hadn't been for the fact that she kept reminding herself Hanna was on her own team so she'd only be hurting herself by hurting the Asari there would be purple blood covering the walls right now. Isabelle allowed a scream to escape her lips once she was sure Hanna was out of ear shot as her biotics roared inside of her she swung an arm at the door from the centre of the room sending it slamming to a close. Just as she thought her head was about to explode in anger she felt a strange buzz against her skin she glanced down to find her omni-tool flashing she opened up the orange screen illuminating her face. She had a new message from Stu, once again asking her to come to his room 'whenever your ready' he put at the end. Isabelle wasn't really sure if going when she was angry was a good idea, or going when she was angry at Hanna, she didn't want to get back with Stuart just to spite Hanna, yet the thought of the look on the Asari's face when she realises they're back together was almost too exciting to turn down. Either way Isabelle decided she wanted to go tonight, if for nothing else then to at least see what Stuart has to say.

Isabelle figured that getting it over and done with sooner rather than later was probably for the best which is what lead her to be stood outside Stuart's room only ten minutes after he'd sent the message she hesitated at first not sure about it but eventually she tapped on the door and waited for a few seconds when it opened she found herself looking into the gentle eyes of Stuart as soon as he saw her his face broke into a grin.

"You're here..." He smiled Isabelle nodded at him.

"I'm here." She smiled back Stuart stepped out of her way and allowed her to walk in she walked over to his bed and sat herself down Stuart pulled out the chair that belonged under his desk and sat down in front of her. She smiled expectantly at him, she didn't like this, the weird awkward air there was to the room or the way it felt like Stuart was trying just a bit too hard.

"Belle..." He said his eyes looking into her own she continued smiling at him.

"Stuart..." She said her eyes widening slightly when he didn't speak any further, from out of nowhere he sighed allowing his head to fall into his hands. Isabelle frowned at his sudden almost angry behaviour, he wasn't just angry but so nervous, he wasn't even this nervous on their first date, though he had had some alcohol before that.

"You okay?" She asked him gently he shook his head rubbing his hand through his hair.

"It's those damn eyes again Belle..." He barely spoke Isabelle couldn't help but laugh at his words.

"Sorry Stu, I'm afraid I can't do anything about my eyes..." She smiled he laughed a little shaking his head again.

"I know, and this time it's different it's not that they're so beautiful... Which they are by the way, insanely so..." He said looking back into her eyes again Isabelle laughed.

"Stu!" She scolded.

"Right, right, it's just... Well," He sighed. "After I tell you this I'm worried that I'm never going to be able to have you look at me with that same look that caring look..." He sighed it was silent for a minute before Isabelle got an idea.

"Okay... how about this, you can look away from me when you tell me whatever it is that you have to tell me and after I hear it if I feel like I can't stand looking at you I will walk straight out and we will try to go about our lives like normal. How about that?" She asked his eyes moved back to hers once more as he thought over her offer for a moment before he nodded.

"Okay, yeah I can do that." He smiled she just grinned back and nodded too as he stood out of his chair and turned his back to her she got herself a bit more comfortable on the bed.

"I asked you to come here cause I want you to know everything, why I'm here, what happened back on my Alliance assigned ship, the Provenance, that made it so that I was essentially kicked out of the Alliance..."


	18. Chapter 18

18.

_I'd just like to say a quick thank you for the reviews, it really makes my day to hear from you guys and helps me get more chapters done. :) Thank you all, I'd cuddle you if I could! :3_

"Oh Stu..." Isabelle went to cut in but his hand sliding up her back and resting gently on her shoulder stopped any more words leaving her mouth.

"You're have been far too good to me for far too long Isabelle, and you are one of the most important people in my life, which is why I think you need to know everything, the truth." Isabelle fidgeted slightly in her spot on the bed she heard Stuart sigh and move away from her.

"I had a team on the Prov, it's probably for that reason that I take such charge on our missions now. It was me and a squad of four men, Andy, Frank, Jake and Oli, the kid, he was new to the Alliance and only in his teens..." Stuart sighed and Isabelle had to convince herself not to turn around and take him into her arms and tell him it's okay but her curiosity had a stronger influence in this round so she let him continue.

"We were a good squad, one of the best from what my superiors told me, which is why we were chosen for the more... confidential missions. The majority of those missions involved dealing with the Reapers directly, as your father has no doubt told you the Reapers have been a threat for much longer than the Alliance likes to claim." Stuart sighed again and Isabelle heard him sit back down in the chair behind her, she wasn't sure if he was expecting a reply to his suggestion so she just nodded without really knowing for sure if he'd actually seen it.

"Well one day, once again we were called in to go and check out a planet that had been giving back 'unusual readings' as a team we'd got to the point were we all knew exactly what that meant, in fact Jake made a pretty funny joke about it..."

_Flashback._

"You know at this point it'd be unusual if it _wasn't_ Reapers!" Jake stated as the five men left the bosses office. Stu couldn't help but let out a laugh at his funny pal as the five walked down towards the shuttle bay. Within the hour five pairs of military grade armour plated boots were planet-side Stuart scowered the landing area but didn't expect to find much so close to their now safe zone, his expectations were met and before long he was indicating for the other four men to move along. Seven hours later and the sun on the planet is beginning to set and the five men still haven't found anything.

"I'm just saying she shouldn't be so negative about my work, I mean yeah there's a risk but she knew that when she met me besides it's the only way we're going to pay for the wedding." Andy was, yet again, complaining to Frank about his newly engaged fiancée.

"I think you should see things from her perspective, it's not a nice life, that of a army wife." Frank, the oldest of the group was always very insightful Stu was always surprised he was never bitter about the fact that he was ordered around by a man so much younger than he is.

"Yeah why do you think Frank's never settled down huh? Well other than his brutish looks ha ha, hey!" Jake had involved himself in the conversation and had received a slap to the back of his helmeted head.

"Sorry, thought I saw a bug." Frank growled sarcastically.

"Hey boss, you alright? You've been pretty quiet up here." Oli, the kid, approached Stuart from behind the five of them had been pretty slack about their usual formation as soon as it hit the fifth hour of not finding anything.

"Yeah I'm alright kid." Stu grumbled. "Just don't like this silence, it's a bit too quiet..."

"It's getting pretty dark out here now boss, we gonna head back to the ship any time soon?" Oli asked.

"Aw is the little baby afraid of the dark?!" Jake appeared beside Stuart and Oli now with one of his usual conversation interrupting comments.

"No I just, I- Well...-"

"The kid's right Jake, it is getting pretty dark and it'll get pretty difficult to see Reaper tech in the dark no?" Stuart grumbled

"Yes boss." Jake said taking note of the no-nonsense tone that Stuart had going.

"Exactly." Oli whispered under his breath.

"So we calling for the shuttle?" Frank spoke as he and Andy caught the other three up.

"No, set up your camping gear boys, we're staying the night." Stuart said and with multiple grumbles and even a 'I hate camping' from Jake the four of them left Stuart's side to each pitch their tents. Stuart opened up his omni-tool and called in to the boss.

"Wilson, report, why aren't you lot ready for pick up yet?" Hubert called through his aggressive face staring through Stuart's omni-tool.

"We're going to remain here for the night sir, there's something not right with this planet I can sense it." Stuart said.

"Alright then Wilson, go with your gut. Just remember the ship leaves for Patsayev tomorrow afternoon, if you haven't found what you needed to by then you will have to call it quits, you do not have the supplies to stay any longer." Hubert explained

"I understand sir, we will get it done." Stuart nodded.

"Good to hear, Hubert out." And with that the omni-tool shut off and Stuart started setting up his own tent.

The next morning was where things started to get freaky, while packing up their stuff Oli came running to Stuart red faced and out of breath, Stuart had put him on watch just in case.

"Boss!" Oli breathed out Stuart instantly dropped what he was doing and grabbed his gun throwing out orders for the others to do the same and cover the way Oli had just appeared from.

"What is it Oli?!" Stuart growled his eyes darting from Oli to the horizon he'd just appeared over.

"Two- two people- approaching.. Almost, almost.." Oli said between breaths but the horizon answered for him as two people appeared in the distance without so much as a look Frank had cloaked and Stuart knew he was gently sneaking off to get behind the pair Stuart was quick to put himself between them and Oli so the kid could catch his breath and Jake shot to the front of the camp with his shot gun withdrawn.

"Who are they kid?!" Stuart growled over his shoulder glaring at the pair as they slowly closed in on them, Stuart could already see that one of them was armed. A man in armour but he couldn't make out any distinct markings so he assumed he was a mercenary, the other figure was a woman, she was wearing a lot less clothing in fact she had nothing but a tank top and shorts on.

"No idea boss." Oli finally said.

"Well where did they come from!?" Stuart hissed as the pair came close enough that they may have been able to hear him.

"No idea, by the time I got a decent spot to look out from there were already on the horizon." Stuart glared at them after Oli spoke.

"So they came from far off in that direction then?" Stuart asked.

"Oh yeah, way, way far off..." After Stuart was silent for a few seconds Oli had to ask. "What you thinking boss?"

"We haven't been that direction yet." Stuart whispered now as they were approaching Jake.

"Yeah, so?" Oli questioned Stuart shook his head at the kid.

"So how did they know we were here Oli?" Stuart growled to him moving slightly closer to Jake now but not too close, if he wanted a good shot of the guy he'd have to stay a good distance away.

"Woah, now, is that anyway to greet people? No wonder you military types are always fighting." The woman spoke.

"I am Private Wilson with the Alliance who are you and what are you doing on this planet?" Stuart growled as Jake and his shot gun remained stood between the woman and Stuart.

"Well I could ask you the same thing, you are on _my_ planet after all..." Stuart just frowned at the woman. "My name is Elanis Junth, you may call me Ela, and this planet is mine, I and my people live here we're a small colony and we have worked very hard at keeping off the Alliance's radar... Until now clearly." She said quite happily.

"What makes this 'your' planet... You seem a little young to be a ruler." She couldn't have been much older than Stuart himself.

"You seem a little young to be in charge of a whole team of men yet here you are, you seem to know how easy it is to get your way in life as long as you work hard enough Private Wilson, that's exactly what I have done. Now that all that is out of the way may I ask again what you are doing on my planet?" She asked with more force this time.

"Your planet was giving odd readings on our ships sensors, we have been sent to investigate." Stuart was sure the woman's face flashed a look of anger for the briefest of seconds before it was back to smiling.

"Well I can assure you Private there is nothing odd going on here, we're just a quaint colony who like to stay off the Alliance's radar and we would like to remain off their radar." She stated Stuart glared at her words.

"How is it exactly that you do so well to stay off the grid?" He asked she definitely glared at this one.

"Why do you want to know?!" She hissed at him Stuart glared at her sudden aggression.

"It may be that what ever it is that you're using to stay hidden is what's the cause of the odd readings." Stuart explained, Elanis seemed to take this statement very seriously as it took her a good minute to say anything else in fact she looked completely distracted by her thoughts on Stuart's words.

"Fair enough Private if you are _so_ adamant about this oddness you can come to our colony and see for yourselves that there is nothing special about us." She said Stuart glared at her sudden change, she seemed to just want them off the planet before now she's inviting them in?

"That's a change of heart... What makes you think we want to come join you on your colony? It might be a trap." Stuart questioned.

"Hah, please Private Wilson do not insult me..." She laughed but Stuart did not react, he wanted an answer. "Alright Wilson if you want some insentive to come with us fine... Let's just say my men and I have a good knack for keeping ourselves hidden!" She hissed then with a decisive hand movement seven more men uncloaked surrounding the camp one of which had a hold of Frank with a gun pointed to his head.

"Will you come with us now?" She hissed the situation got very tense Stuart's first reaction was to aim his pistol directly at her head.

"Let him go or I will shoot, then what will your _men_ do?!" He hissed.

"We'll murder each and every last one of you." Her lackey stood beside her hissed Stuart laughed.

"We're a good team, you're picking a fight with the wrong people." He growled there was a very tense minute of silence before Elanis sighed and motioned to the man holding Frank the man let him go and Frank moved over to the rest of the squad.

"I didn't want this to resort to violence Private Wilson. I am inviting you to my home, it would be rude to refuse to come." She growled Stuart glared at her before lowering his pistol.

"Alright, we'll come." He said she squealed and clapped her hands together and with that the seven other men disappeared again and left just her and her lackey.


End file.
